Roswell Fanatics

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Nathan walked at his father’s side as they made their way into the fifth building of the night. Max had decided to take Nathan with him that night as he went to deal with several of his businesses. He had thought it was time to start ‘initiating’ his son into his role as prime of the Aristomache.

So, together with Michael and several other guards in tow, Max had headed out to handle the business with Nathan at his side. At every single stop they made, Nathan had seen first hand exactly what his father had to deal with in all of his dealings. Every business was different. Every one of them had their own set of problems and solutions. All of which Max dealt with quickly and efficiently.

At every stop, Max kept Nathan at his side and talked him through everything he was doing. He even encouraged his son to stop him if he needed something explained a different way or had a question for his father. Calm, yet stern Max commanded the respect of everyone who came into contact with him.

And Nathan was amazed at all of the respect his father received. At every single place, Max would address certain people by name. Stopping to ask about their families or to listen to a complaint they had. Every person who came into contact with his father gave him the standard head nod and seemed to listen to what he had to say.

Nathan had always known his father was a powerful man. One whose name often instilled fear in some people. But watching him with the people at his businesses, all he saw was a man whom people looked up to and who genuinely cared about his people. None of those around him seemed to show fear of any kind.

The group made their way into the area that held the offices. As the guards took up their places around the area, Max and Nathan walked into the office while Michael went to deal with the building’s security team. Max pulled up an extra chair next to his behind the desk and indicated for Nathan to sit next to him.

As soon as they were seated, Max logged on to the computer and picked up the first file on the desk. It didn’t take long for Max to begin going through all of it as he continued to talk Nathan through each step he took. Nathan was leaning over his father’s shoulder as Max showed him how to access files on the computer when Michael came striding in.

It was the way Michael held himself and the way he gave the head nod to Max before silently waiting for his Archigos to acknowledge him that Nathan knew something was wrong. Even Max knew it as he immediately stopped explaining things to his son and looked at his Dioikitis.

“What is it?” Max asked.

“We have a problem, Kyrios.”

Nathan backed up as Max rose from his seat. “How bad is it?”

Michael glanced at Nathan before he looked back at Max to answer him. “Bad.”

Max scowled. “Where?”

“The guards have them in the holding cells. They’ve been there since last night.”

Nathan frowned. “Them?”

Michael looked at Nathan for a moment before turning back to Max. Max nodded, “Answer it.”

Michael nodded. “Yes, them. There are four.”

Nathan turned to look at his father, watching the scowl deepen. “Workers?”

“No Kyrios, but one of them knows a worker. It is how they managed to make the plans for sabotage.”

Nathan’s eyes widened. “Sabotage!”

“We have the worker in an office right above the holding cells. She is distraught. She had no idea that he was using her to gain information so that he and his group could arrange for the coup.”

“What were they after?” asked Max.

“They were trying to bring the company down. It seems they have a bone to pick with you.”

Max narrowed his eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Michael pursed his lips. “The leader is from the coven of Kivar’s mouthpiece. An unallied coven, they still hold a grudge against you for terminating one of their members.”

Max growled. “As I recall, he wasn’t a member of any coven when he joined Kivar’s group. All of them had been recruited by Kivar precisely because they had all disowned their covens.”

Michael shrugged. “We all know this as well as they do. Guess they were just itching for a fight.”

“A fight? Well then, let’s not disappoint them shall we?”

As Max made his way around his desk, Michael looked at Nathan once more. “Shall I have one of guards escort your son home?”

Max shook his head and motioned for Nathan to join him. “He is learning how to deal with business after all.”

As soon as Nathan reached him, Max wrapped a hand around his arm and nodded to Michael, “Meet me at the cells.”

************************************************************

Nathan stood back against the wall trying not to give any sign of emotion whatsoever. On the other side of the room was a thick pane of glass and on the other side was his father, Michael, and a couple of more guards surrounding two of the four men who had tried to sabotage his father’s business.

When I was a young boy,

Nathan had already seen Max deal with the first two men quickly. The moment Max had appeared in the cell of the first man, the man had leaped at Max with claws unsheathed. Max had shoved Nathan into the wall and managed to kill the assassin before Michael and the guards could do anything about it. Nathan clearly remembered his father’s words right before he’d obliterated the man. Max had condemned him to death for daring to kill the Archigos and the prime of the Aristomache.

My father took me into the city

His father had been a little more cautious when entering the second cell. This man had spewed hatred at Max before finally launching himself at him. This time Max stood back as Michael stepped up to engage the man. When they’d tried to restrain him, he’d gone after Nathan. Once more Max had stepped in and obliterated the man before he could lay a finger on his son.

To see a marching band.

Now, the last two men had been ushered into the screening room where Michael and the guards had surrounded them. Max had been on this side of the glass with Nathan, watching as Michael interrogated them. When it was apparent that they weren’t going to talk to Michael, Max had willed himself into the room and all hell had broken loose.

He said, "Son when you grow up, will you be the savior of the broken,
The beaten and the damned?"

Nathan had started to wonder if all the talk about his father being so powerful was just that when suddenly Max let out a frustrated roar and flung his arms wide. The moment he’d done that, it looked like an invisible force had seized the two men and threw them up against the wall. They had hit the wall hard because several tiny cracks appeared in the plaster behind their bodies.

He said "Will you defeat them, your demons, and all the non believers, the plans that they have made?"

Holding his hands up in the air, Max growled at them. Warning them not to try the last of his patience. He wanted to know why they were trying to sabotage his business and using the excuse of avenging a member of their coven when said member had willingly disowned them in the first place.

Because one day I leave you,

It was just as Michael had said. They were just itching for a fight, any fight.

A phantom to lead you in the summer,

Nathan heard one of the guards who remained in the room with him give a snort and say, “Well, they picked a hell of a man to start a fight with didn’t they?”

To join the black parade.

Nathan didn’t have time to wonder about the awe in the guards voice as he watched his father continue to interrogate the two men. He heard his father asking them if they understood just what would happen if they started a war with the Aristomache coven. Didn’t they know that it wouldn’t just be the Aristomache they’d have to contend with if push came to shove.

When I was a young boy,

One of the men said they knew what they were doing. His coven wasn’t afraid of Max Evans or the Aristomache. They were prepared to fight and die for their cause.

My father took me into the city

“What cause?” growled Michael. “All you guys want to do is come after our Archigos because you claim he killed one of your coven members! He had disowned your coven! How can you people be willing to fight and die for a man who had disowned all of you! Are all of you that suicidal?”

To see a marching band.

The man growled right back at Michael. “It matters not that he disowned us! He was still a member of our coven! We will avenge him!”

He said, "Son when you grow up, will you be the savior of the broken,
The beaten and the damned?"

Max shook his head. “If a member of my coven attacked you for no other reason than the greed of owning your coven, you can be sure I would not avenge their death. I do not believe in avenging anyone who thought they could conquer and then control others simply because they are hungry for power. That is why I killed him. It was a choice between saving my people or letting them suffer beneath a tyrant. I chose my people!”

Sometimes I get the feeling she's watching over me.
And other times I feel like I should go.

The man glared at him. “Yes, we know. Your people. The almighty Aristomache. Well, here’s what we all think of your people and it’s leaders.”

Through it all, the rise and fall, the bodies in the streets.

With that, he spat onto Max’s face.

When you're gone we want you all to know
We'll Carry on,

Once more the room erupted as Michael and the other guards roared their anger at the disrespect the two men were showing their Archigos. Even the guards in the room with Nathan slammed themselves into the glass as if trying to get at the two men to tear them apart.

We'll Carry on

Nathan could only stare with wide eyes as the roars, growls, and insults were hurled back and forth between the two men and all of the guards. Michael stood next to Max with curled fists as he too growled at the men. However, he made no move to go anywhere near them. It was as if Michael was waiting for Max to say the word before he launched himself at them.

Though you’re dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on

Nathan was aware that of them all, Max remained the calmest. He had remained standing where he was when the man had spat on his face. As the others had started their shouting, Max slowly lifted a hand to his face and waved it over the saliva making it disappear instantly. Then he’d folded his arms over his chest as all of the others continued to growl and shout at each other.

Carry on

However, the moment one of the guards launched himself at the men, Michael’s hand went up to instantly freeze the guard in mid-air. That action had silenced every last one of them as Michael turned to look at Max.

We'll carry on

“What is your command, Kyrios?”

And in my heart I can’t contain it
The anthem won’t explain it.

Max looked the men in the eyes. “Can one of you arrange for me to negotiate with the Archigos of your coven?”

And we will send you reeling from decimated dreams

Both of them erupted into laughter. “Why should we negotiate with the likes of you? None of us want anything to do with you!”

Your misery and hate will kill us all
So paint it black and take it back

Michael scowled. “I will go try to contact their coven. I’m sure someone will want to negotiate for their lives.”

Let’s shout it loud and clear
Do you fight it to the end

As Max nodded, Michael set the guard down and made his way out of the room. Max watched as the two men he still had imprisoned against the wall follow his Dioikitis with their eyes. He saw the worried look that appeared for a split second in the eyes of one of them before it disappeared. It was that man who spoke up.

We hear the call to
To carry on

“You can try to contact them all you like, but no one is going to answer you! We said they don’t want to negotiate with you so they won’t even bother answering your call!”

We'll carry on

Max narrowed his eyes as he spoke in a low voice. “Michael, stamatao.”

Though you’re dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on

As Michael made his way back to Max’s side, Max slowly lowered the two men to the ground. Motioning to the other man he issued an order. “Take him back to his holding cell. I will talk to this one some more.”

We'll carry on

Before anyone had a chance to react, the second one turned on the first and ripped his throat out. As the room erupted into noise once more, Max slammed the remaining man back into the wall and roared over all of them.

And though you're broken and defeated
Your weary widow marches on

“Siopi!”

And on we carry through the fears
Ooh oh ohhhh

Immediately every last one of them went silent and Nathan found his heart pounding in his ears. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. One of the prisoners had turned on his own and killed him. And his father seemed to be taking everything in stride. He had no idea how his father managed to remain so calm and was able to control such a volatile situation like he was doing.

Disappointed faces of your peers
Ooh oh ohhhh

Max growled a low command to the other guards who were in the room with him. “Afino mas!”

Take a look at me cause I could not care at all

Without another word, the guards bowed out of the room leaving Max alone with Michael and the last remaining prisoner. Slowly lowering his hand, Max once more set the man on his feet. However, he didn’t release his hold on the man’s body.

Do or die
You'll never make me

Narrowing his eyes, Max hissed. “You have been lying to us haven’t you? There is no coven for us to contact!”

Cause the world, will never take my heart

The man glared at Max in hatred. “They will not have anything to do with you!”

You can try, you'll never break me

Max looked the man over from head to toe before tilting his head towards Michael. “Read him.”

Want it all,
I'm gonna play this part

With a nod, Michael made his way over to the man’s side. As he did, the prisoner’s eyes widened. “No! No! I’m telling you the truth! Stay the hell away from me!”

Won’t explain or say I’m sorry

Michael didn’t listen to him as he carried out his Archigos orders. Leaning over the man, Michael sank his fangs into the man’s neck and drank deep, reading his memories. Max continued to keep the man in his hold as Nathan looked on in awe of the way everyone seemed to work so well together.

I'm not ashamed,
I'm gonna show my scar
You're the chair, for all the broken

A few more moments passed before Michael lifted his head and stepped away from the prisoner. The prisoner whimpered pitifully as Michael turned to Max licking the blood from his lips.

Listen here, because it's only..

“There is no coven, Kyrios.” Nathan gasped as he realized his father had been right. “This one here is but a distant cousin to Kivar’s mouthpiece. However, there is no love lost between the two of them.”

I'm just a man,
I'm not a hero

Michael turned to glare at the man. “It seems greed runs rampant among those who desert that family.”

Just a boy, who's meant to sing this song

Max frowned. “And where are the rest of the family? Should we be worried.”

Just a man,
I'm not a hero

Michael shook his head. “No. No one was aware of his treachery. The family are members of the Khamilos coven.”

I -- don't -- care
Carry on

Max nodded. He knew that coven. It was not one of the allied covens, but it had never been one to wage war on any existing covens for as long as Max had known. The Khamilos liked to do as their name suggested. They kept an extremely low profile and did their best to remain out of anyone’s radar. Theirs was a coven that avoided any fighting at all.

We'll carry on

“Send word to the coven of what went on. The family must know the fate of this one regardless of their relationships. Did you find out the names and affiliations of the other three?”

Though you’re dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on

Michael nodded. “I have the information, Kyrios.”

We'll carry on

“Good, send word to their families as well. Make sure they understand what the crime and consequences were. I don’t want anymore aggrieved family members wanting to seek revenge if we can avoid it.” He said the last as he turned a glare on the man he still held prisoner.

And though you're broken and defeated
Your weary widow marches on

“Of course, Kyrios. What shall we do with this one?”

We'll carry on

Max simply walked up to the man and spoke in a low voice. “For trying to sabotage the Aristomache business and endangering the lives of its people you have been found guilty. For killing one of your own men and for attempting to kill several members of the Aristomache, you are condemned to death.”

We'll carry on

Nathan watched as his father lifted his hand and placed it on the prisoner’s head. In seconds there was nothing there except ash floating to the ground. Stunned, he leaned back against the wall as his father and Michael walked out of the room and two others walked into the room to dispose of the ash.

We'll carry on

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes as all of it began to sink in. Now he knew. Now he had seen first hand just how powerful his father was. And that wasn’t all. He now understood the reason why the Aristomache respected his father as their leader. Unlike the others, Max was calm in the storm. He could stand there and take it all in without reacting first and asking questions later. His father didn’t seem to miss anything. He had known the men had been lying and he hadn’t let their jibes affect him at all.

We'll carry

Instead, it had been the others who had reacted to the jibes. Every last one of them had been quick to leap to his father’s defense. Nathan knew it was out of loyalty that the guards and Michael rushed to defend their leader. It was evident in the way they all reacted to his quiet, yet firm commands. When their leader spoke, they listened. Max had obviously earned his people’s respect and every last one of them were willing to fight for him if necessary.

We'll carry on

Max walked into the room and gave his son a nod. Nathan could see the emotions swirling around in his father’s eyes. Emotions he’d never noticed before, but knew they had to have been there all along. Love, compassion, and worry. His father carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and no one ever saw it at first glance. Even he had been to naïve to ever notice it before.

“Come, we should be returning home soon. Your mother will have my hide for keeping you out this late as it is.”

Nathan pushed himself away from the wall and followed his father out of the room.

“Why don’t you just send a thought to her and explain why we’re late. I’m sure she’ll understand.”

Max grinned at his son as they strode down the hall towards the back doors. “Oh, she already knows.”

At Nathan’s raised eyebrows Max chuckled. “She’s been with me all along you know. How do you think I managed to deal with all of the people and their problems? Your mother is the peacekeeper. I’m just the one who brings home the paycheck and keeps the wolves from our lands.”

He winked at his son. “Trust me, she was there with me every step of the way. But that’s still no excuse for me to be keeping you out so late. She’s trying to convince me to just will us both back to the house right now rather than taking the car back.”

“So, why don’t you then?”

Max laughed as the two of them stepped out into the night where they were immediately surrounded by guards who guided them to the waiting car. “Because sometimes I like it when your mother is angry with me. It makes for a rather interesting day.”

Nathan rolled his eyes and groaned in mock annoyance as he got the hint his father was trying to make. Once more Max erupted into laughter as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the car seat.

Nathan just knew his parents were already sparring with their thoughts. What he didn’t dare to even think was that the sparring was nothing more than lively foreplay to the two hot blooded adults.

TBC...

Songs are in order: Far Away by Nickelback
Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

new Greek words
(I lost my list, so I hope these are the ones you all need)
gataki - kitten
boriteh - would
aresi - like
khorevo - dance
synchoro - forgive
siopi - silence
khamilos - low

Song is The Best Things by Filter

Part 40

*A few months later*

Nathan couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face as he watched the unsuspecting humans walking through the cemetery so late at night. Foolish humans! They thought they were so brave to walk through the cemetery at night. Of course, they had chosen this night in particular for its significance.

Gotta green light gotta green light yeah
But I'm going' nowhere

He wondered just how many teenagers had ventured here on all the countless Halloween nights that had come before this one. How many teens had managed to walk through the cemetery without any harm coming to them at all. His smile widened as he realized these teens wouldn’t be so lucky.

Gotta green light gotta red light yeah
No cop no stop I don't care

He glanced to where Caiden crouched hidden behind a huge gravestone on the far side of the cemetery. Nathan himself was leaning against a small building near the entrance, hidden from the humans sight. But they were following the small path through the area and it led directly in front of where Caiden was lying in wait.

Every one of you could be the same

The plan was simple. Wait for them to enter the cemetery and when they felt relatively safe once they made it through most of the area unharmed, Caiden would jump out and bare his claws and fangs at them. Hopefully they’d be terrified enough to turn and run back towards the entrance where Nathan would then take his turn.

Every one of you could play the game

That was it. Just a little harmless fun in scaring humans. He grinned as they approached the gravestone, softly murmuring to themselves.

Gotta green light gotta green light yeah
But ya going' nowhere

Suddenly the vampire rose up from behind the gravestone and bared his fangs as he hissed at them. Long vicious claws reached out towards them as the hiss turned into a low menacing growl. Tina screamed first. Her scream triggered all the others and as one they all turned and ran towards the entrance, trying to escape the vampire that was running after them.

You know the best things in life aren't for me
You know the best things in life aren't for free

Nathan tamped down the urge to laugh as he watched Caiden chasing the four humans through the cemetery. Caiden wasn’t even using his natural superhuman strength to chase them. They thought he was running fast enough to catch one of them, but he was basically doing a fast walk. Anything more and he would have passed them up.

Gotta new life gotta new plight yeah
And it's going' nowhere

The four teens could see the entrance looming before them and Tim gave a sigh of relief. But that sigh was premature as a shadow seemed to detach itself from the side of the small building near the entrance. Without waiting to find out what it was, Leah turned back to try to run the other way, forgetting what was following them.

On a mountaintop like a pin drop yeah
No God no thought I don't care

She remembered the moment the vampire lunged at her, its claws almost touching the skin of her arm. A scream of terror spurred the others forward as they tried to beat the shadow and the vampire behind them to the entrance. Every one of them were aware of the way the shadow suddenly sped up and ran towards them.

Every one of you could be the same

It moved into a beam of light and they saw the gleaming fangs and claws it had. It roared at them as it grabbed hold of a low lying stone and leaped into the air, bearing down on them. Once more the two girls in the group let out horrified screams as they tried to pick up their pace. The second vampire landed right next to the path they were on and reached a clawed hand for the nearest one.

Every one of you can play this game

Tina shrieked and leaned against Ron, who pulled her away from the vampire as it straightened up and gave them a guttural growl.

Gotta new life gotta new plight yeah
And it's going nowhere

“Come on, let’s get the hell out of here!” Ron screamed as the four of them continued to run towards the entrance.

You know the best things in life aren't for me
You know the best things in life aren't for free

The two vampires trailed after them with claws extended, but the humans made the entrance before they could catch them. As they ran through the gates, Tim looked over his shoulder. The two vampires were no where in sight.

Gotta new find gotta new crime yeah
And it's going' nowhere

“They’re gone!” he exclaimed.

Like a global path like a car crash yeah
No cop no stop I don't care

“I don’t care! I just want us to get somewhere safer!” yelled Ron as he grabbed Tina’s hand and continued to run down the street hoping to run into someone who could help them.

Every one of you are just the same

Caiden and Nathan stood in the center of the cemetery laughing hysterically.

Every one of you will play this game

“Did you see the look on their faces!” stuttered Caiden as tears of mirth cascaded down his face. “I swear that one guy pissed his pants!”

Gotta new find gotta new crime yeah
And it's going' nowhere

Nathan wiped his face as he continued to laugh. “Yeah, that was such a rush man!”

You know the best things in life aren't for me
You know the best things in life aren't for free

Caiden took a few deep breaths, trying to control his laughter. “It was! What do you say we wait to see if any others will try tonight?”

You know the best things in life aren't for me
You know the best things in life aren't for free

Just as Nathan was about to answer, a beam of light suddenly had them in its sights. “Nathan Evans, is that you?”

You know the best things in life aren't for me
You know the best things in life aren't for free

As the beam of light lowered slightly, Nathan turned to look in the direction of the familiar voice. The color drained out of his face as he recognized Officer McIntyre, one of the initiated humans who worked diligently with his father to keep the peace between humans and vampires. He knew he was now a dead teenaged vampire.

You know the best things in life aren't for me
You know the best things in life aren't for free

************************************************************

“You are grounded! Do you hear me? Grounded! I want you to go to your room and stay there until I allow you to come out again! IF I ever allow you to come out again!” Isabel yelled at her son who stood sullenly in front of her with his hands folded behind his back.

Caiden already knew from experience that it was best to let his mother say her piece. To let her rant until she ran out of steam. Once she was finished his father would step in and say something to calm her down before he gave Caiden his punishment. Most of the time it wasn’t so bad. At least he knew his punishment wouldn’t be as bad as the one Nathan was probably receiving.

The thought of what Nathan was going through right now was what made Caiden grimace in sympathy for his friend.

“Oh don’t give me that look! I know you aren’t even the least bit sorry for what you did! You think this is a game! It’s always a game to you! And just like always, you just have to go and drag your cousin into these escapades with you! Theos, how could you do that to him Caiden! How could you drag Nathan into this when you know what Max is going to do to him! Do you ever think of anyone else but yourself!”

Caiden scowled at his mother. “I didn’t drag Nate into anything! He wanted to do this! He could have said no if he hadn’t wanted to do it! It’s not my fault!”

“It is your fault!” screeched Isabel. “It’s always your fault! You never think about what will happen to anyone else! How can you be so callous!”

Caiden saw his father move away from the wall until he stood next to his mother and placed a hand over her arm.

“Isabel, that’s enough.”

Caiden resisted the urge to smirk. His father had finally interceded. That meant he would now be reprimanded and he could leave the room to go find out if Nathan had survived his punishment.

“It’s not enough! Alex he has to be punished for what he did.”

“I know, Isabel. And he will be. As Archigos of this clan and his father, I will be the one to see to it.” Alex reached up and touched her cheek. “Go on agapo mou. Let me deal his punishment.”

Isabel frowned at her son once more before she gathered up her skirt and stalked out of the room in a huff. Caiden watched her leave before rolling his eyes and smiling at her dramatics. That was until he turned to see his father looking at him with a look he’d never seen on his father’s face before.

Alex held Caiden’s eyes with an unwavering stare. He didn’t blink or divert his gaze as he continued to stare at his son. It only took a few seconds for Caiden to finally lower his eyes to the ground and the smile faded from his face to be replaced by his familiar sullen look. Still, Alex stared at his son and slowly folded his arms in front of his chest.

“Well, now that your mother is no longer in the room. Would you care to tell me exactly what happened tonight and don’t leave anything out,” came Alex’s voice in a low tone.

Caiden swallowed. “Nate and I were bored and talking in my room. When we realized it was Halloween night, we thought it would be fun to go see if there were any humans that were brave enough to go into a cemetery on this particular night. We’d heard that humans are superstitious, so we wanted to see if it was true.”

He paused for a moment, but when his father remained silent, he went on. “We just hid behind a bush and waited until we saw a couple of kids come into the cemetery. It was true. They were scared and only remained inside long enough to be able to say they were there before they ran out. So, Nathan and I decided to make it more fun for the next group.”

Now Alex began to frown. “So, you two came up with a plan to scare the humans by letting them see what you really are.”

“We planned it well dad. We made sure they would think it was just a trick of light or something. They wouldn’t get a good enough look at us to know it wasn’t a costume. They’re human after all! They’d just convince themselves someone was playing a prank on them, that’s all!”

“I see, so you scared them and they ran away, thinking it was just someone playing a prank on them?”

“Yes!”

“It was such a good prank that they found the first police officer they could and started yelling about how there were some ‘crazy, psycho killers’ in the cemetery trying to kill them.”

“Dad…”

“No wait. It gets better!” growled Alex. “They were yelling about how these killers had knives for claws, wicked long teeth that seemed more real than the fake set one of those humans just happened to have on his person, and the scariest red contacts they’d ever seen before! And oh yeah! It was just a stroke of luck that the cop they were yelling all of this to just happened to be one of the officers that Max Evans works closely with for the good of all of us!”

Caiden flinched as his father’s voice had risen until he was finally yelling at him. He knew it was bad because his father never yelled at him. All he could do was lower his head even more and try to make himself as small as possible. Unfortunately for him, his father wasn’t buying it.

“Don’t you dare try to act like this was nothing! You have gone too far this time! How dare you scare uninitiated humans and allow them to see your true self! How dare you risk exposing us all! You have NO idea just how lucky the two of you are that it was Officer McIntyre there and not an uninitiated cop! You could have killed us all!” he roared.

Caiden couldn’t suppress the whimper that escaped his mouth at his father’s roar. Unable to stop himself, tears began to leak out of the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t believe he’d made his father this angry. It was obviously worse than he could have ever imagined.

Alex whirled away from his son and stalked over to the windows. Standing there, he clasped his hands behind his back and glared outside. He waited for a few moments until he could feel the churning anger beginning to dissipate. Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths to help calm himself down before he turned to walk back towards his son.

Caiden hadn’t moved. He still looked down at the floor, but his head wasn’t bowed so low that Alex couldn’t see the tears on his face. Good, it was about time his son felt bad about what he’d done. Alex was tired of Caiden thinking he could get away with anything he wanted.

“As the son of the Euphranor Archigos, you should know the rules Caiden. You know it is forbidden to allow uninitiated humans to know that we exist. Yet you went ahead and did this just for the thrill of it. You grow more and more irresponsible instead of learning from your mistakes as I’d hoped you would. And you had to include Nathan Evans in your foolish pranks. Do you have any idea what Max would do to you if you weren’t his sister’s son? Look at what he almost did to Vanessa when he found out she told an uninitiated human about us.”

Once more Caiden cringed as he remembered what had happened. Max had been that close to killing Caiden’s older sister when he’d found out she had been the one to tell the humans about their secret. Of course, Max had wanted Vanessa’s life because his syndeo who was pregnant with their unborn child had been kidnapped by them. Caiden swallowed his fear when he realized that he’d just put another one of Max’s family members in the line of fire from humans. Oh yeah, Max would be coming for him soon.

Lifting his head, he looked at his father with true regret in his eyes. “I’m sorry dad. I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

Alex nodded his head. “Yes, well that there is the problem isn’t it? You didn’t think.” He sighed as he shook his head. “Well, the damage is done and now your mother and I are going to have to keep your uncle from wanting our son’s head too. At the rate my children are going, I don’t think I’m going to have any left.”

He frowned for a moment before he looked back up at Caiden and continued. “So, this is what you are going to do. It’s just like your mother said. You will take yourself to your room and you will stay there until the both of us think you can be allowed out of it again. All of your meals will be brought to you there. All of the things that you keep in your room for entertainment and fun will be taken out of your room. You are to spend every moment of every day in that room. I will have lessons sent up to you to do there. And I will have several of my people who help me run the coven go in every day to give you the lessons you will need to someday lead the coven. All of your time will be spent in study and reflection of what you did and what you should become.”

He stepped closer to Caiden until the boy had to look up at him. “But know this, my son. Just because I am giving you all the lessons you need to learn to become a leader of our people. It does not mean that you will be that someday. You will still have to prove your worth to not only me, but to the entire coven. And you will have to prove your worth to the leaders of the allied covens before anyone decides if they should place the wellbeing of our people into your hands. Is that understood?”

Caiden nodded slowly. “Yes,” came his whispered reply.

“Good.” Alex moved to the door and opened it, motioning to someone outside. Caiden watched as two of his father’s guards walked into the room.

“Escort my son to his rooms and see that he remains there.” He looked Caiden in the eyes as he said the last part. “I will be conferring with Blaise as to how the rest of your punishment will be carried out and he will see to it that everything is taken out of your room as I have said.”

With a final nod to the guards, he held the door open and watched as Caiden walked through it with a guard on either side of him.

************************************************************

Nathan didn’t say a word. He didn’t have any excuses for this one. Not a one. He’d known from the get go that there would be hell to pay if they got caught and still he’d gone along with Caiden’s plan. And now, he was going to suffer the consequences. There was just nothing else to be done about it.

Still, it hurt. It hurt to see his father so furious and upset. It wasn’t so much that his father was yelling at him just like he always did when he got into trouble. Nathan knew his father’s temper and it still managed to scare the daylights out of him. But that wasn’t what was making him hurt right now.

What hurt was the fear and remembered pain his father was feeling. All of which was evident in his voice, his words, and on his face. His father had reminded Nathan that it was something very similar to this that had nearly cost the lives of his mother and his sister, Rena whom his mother had been pregnant with at the time. If their lives had been forfeit, then his father would have lost his own life too.

That’s what hurt. The knowledge that this could very well turn out bad for all of them. If those humans they’d scared believed what they saw, then it could be bad for all vampires. The lives of his family could be in danger all over again. It was because of that, Nathan knew that he deserved whatever punishment he had coming to him.

He lifted his eyes to look at his father who had finally stopped yelling at him and was now pacing near the windows looking like a caged panther. His mother remained where she had been standing from the beginning where the two of them had been as Officer McIntyre had escorted him into the domatio ilios.

Liz glanced over her shoulder at her osizigos for a moment before turning to look at her son with a frown. She knew Max was still too upset and furious with Nathan to be able to deal with him at the moment. She’d stood there silently and watched as Max had unleashed all of his anger at Nathan for going along with Caiden’s foolish plan. Then she’d remained there as Max had turned his anger into pain and fear as he reminded all of them what had nearly happened to them the last time one of their kind got mixed up with uninitiated humans.

Looking at her son now, she knew he’d gotten the message loud and clear. Still, the damage had obviously been done and now it was up to her to let Nathan know just what his punishment was. Glancing back at Max one more time, she gave a little sigh before looking her son dead in the eyes and relaying the punishment that Max had intended for him.

“You are grounded for four months. One for each of the humans you scared tonight. During that time, you are confined to your room where all of your meals and lessons will be brought to you. All of the things you have in there that are for entertainment purposes will be taken out. Also, as part of your sentence, you will go out each night for four hours to do some community service if you will. Your father is going to arrange this with Officer McIntyre. A police escort will arrive every night to escort you to the police station where you will work with them in whatever Officer McIntyre and your father think you should do. This will hopefully benefit in training you to be better aware of those under your protection. And hopefully this will make you more aware of who you chose to reveal yourself to.”

As Liz finished giving Nathan the stipulations of his punishment, Max had finally stopped his pacing and was slowly returning to stand at her side. Liz slid her arm around Max’s waist as Nathan noticed how his father’s eyes were slowly fading from molten gold back to their normal amber hue. Even his claws and fangs were receding.

“Do you understand what your mother just said, Nathan?” asked Max, in a low voice that still contained a hint of the change.

“Yes, pateras, I understand,” replied Nathan, using the formal word for father as a show of respect.

“Good. Now go to your room and wait there while I talk to Officer McIntyre and Michael about all of this.”

Nathan gave a respectful bow to his parents before turning and walking out of the room. As he made his way down the hall towards the stairs, all he could think was just how glad he was that Arissa had decided to stay home with her family this night. He didn’t think he could have lived with the guilt if she had been involved in this too.

************************************************************

Liz made her way through the house towards her osizigos office. It had been another long night just like the night before had been. Last night, after grounding their son for his Halloween prank, Max had called a meeting with Michael and Officer McIntyre to flesh out the conditions to Nathan’s punishment. The moment Michael had walked into the room, Max had known something was wrong. And since Liz was always connected to Max, she knew it instantly too.

Yet Max had waited until all of the conditions were done and Officer McIntyre had left for the night before he asked Michael what was wrong. That was when they’d found out that he and Maria had gotten into another argument and she had moved out again. Michael had then given Max a look and said that he wanted Max and Liz to stay out of it as always. Michael knew Liz was listening in on the whole conversation through the connection she shared with Max. He warned them both to stay out of it and let him deal with Maria on his own.

After he’d left, Liz had been privy to Max’s rant as he paced in the familiar caged panther way of his. She’d sat silently on the bed as Max went on and on about how Michael deserved so much better than Maria and how he wished there was some way to get Michael to stop doing this to himself. Max hated to see what Maria was doing to Michael and the fact that Michael let her do this to him. Yet, no matter what she did to him, he still went on doing the things he was expected to do everyday as if nothing Maria did could bring him down. Michael hid it well, but Liz and Max were too close to him not to notice it.

After his rant, Max had curled up in bed with her and they had proceeded to try to forget about their troubles for the rest of the night and the better part of the day that they were holed up together. However, as soon as she was able to, Liz had made her way to Maria’s old family home to see if she could have a talk with her.

Deciding to put her dislike of Maria aside, she had hoped to talk to Maria and get her to understand what she was putting Michael through. But most of all, she wanted to know what Maria’s feelings for Michael really were and if Maria thought there would ever be a future with Michael.

She had actually been surprised that Maria would even see her at all. But she had been allowed into Maria’s home where she sat talking with her in the living room. The conversation had started with small talk, but Maria had immediately turned it to the serious part of the conversation, saying that she knew why Liz was there. When Liz had asked, “Why am I here, Maria?”

She’d replied, “To tell me how badly I’ve been treating Michael and that I need to stop doing it to him.” Liz hadn’t replied to that, but had instead asked Maria what her feelings for Michael really were.

When Maria had retorted, “What do you care!” Liz had replied that she just wanted to understand what Maria’s feelings were. She wanted to know if Maria saw any kind of future with Michael because clearly Michael seemed to see a future with her. Liz told Maria that if Maria could just help her understand, then maybe she could help find a way to get the two of them together if that’s what Maria wanted.

Maria had seemed to change then. Instead of being defensive, she had simply sat back and told Liz about the things she liked about Michael. Just when things seemed to be going well, Maria had suddenly shrugged and said, “He knows what I want from him, yet he can’t give it to me. So until he can I guess we don’t have a future.”

“What is it that you want from him, Maria?”

“What I want, he can’t give me. I just had the misfortune of wanting a man from the Aristomache clan. No one had warned me just how hard it would be to make someone from that clan try to live a life apart from it. And before you tell me he was living a life away from the clan with me, let me say that you are wrong. Michael lives and breathes his clan. Maybe he was with me sometimes, but that wasn’t enough for me and he knows it. I want all of him or I don’t want him at all.”

Liz frowned. “Maria, you have to meet half way, you know. I had to meet Max half way too. That’s what you do in a relationship, you compromise. Max had to learn to accept my human sensibilities and I had to learn to accept his vampire nature. You can’t just have it your way completely. If you really love someone that much then you have to be willing to meet half way.”

Maria had folded her arms over her chest and lifted her chin slightly. “Sorry Liz. Michael knows I’m just not built that way.”

After that, it had been like talking to a brick wall. Nothing Liz could say would make Maria see things any other way. Maria let Liz know that Michael understood it was her way or no way at all. It didn’t matter that Michael loved her and wanted to have a future with her. All that mattered to Maria was that Michael did exactly what Maria wanted him to do.

Finally deciding to leave before she wanted to give in to strangling Maria, Liz had returned home. Now as she walked into the office, she felt slightly defeated. She had hoped to find some way to get Maria and Michael back together again so that they could both be happy, but she just couldn’t see how she could accomplish that. Maybe Max was right, maybe Michael really deserved someone so much better than Maria was. But Liz knew Michael would never want anyone else.

She made her way down the stairs to the bedroom and walked into the closet to change. Just as she reached for the buttons to the front of her dress, a familiar pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against a firm chest. He whispered huskily into her ear.

“You never cease to amaze me you know. Despite how you feel about that woman, you still manage to go to her and try to see if you can somehow get her back with Michael. You can set your feelings aside long enough to see if you can somehow make our friend happy again. I envy you that ability. And I love you all the more for it.”

Liz smiled as he pressed a soft kiss against her neck before he nuzzled her cheek. Slowly turning around in his arms she looked up into his eyes. “It didn’t work though.”

Max nodded. “I know, it’s still a wonderful thing you tried to do.” He leaned down to brush his lips over hers. “Come on agapo mou, let me make you feel better.”

Liz sighed as his lips took hers and deepened the kiss. Max, you may make me feel better, but Michael will still be hurting.

Max sighed against her lips. Yes, but as he has told us time and again. It’s not our problem and we should let him handle his relationship on his own. No matter how much it hurts us to watch him hurt himself.

As he lifted her up into his arms to carry her to their bed, he looked down into her eyes. “I’m sorry Liz. I shouldn’t have gotten carried away like I did last night. I know that’s why you went to see her. Because you were tired of listening to me rant about them and because you were tired of watching them do that to each other. I can’t promise you I won’t keep getting upset like this, but I will do my best to control it.”

He lowered his forehead to hers as he laid her down on the bed. “S’agapo, syndeo mou. I love you for your generous heart and for putting up with the beast that I am.”

Liz grinned up at him. “S’agapo episis, thirio mou.”

With a chuckle, Max lowered his lips to hers once more as his isyzygos urged him on to be the beast she loved to love.

TBC...

new Greek words
pateras - father
thirio - beast

Part 41

*Nearly seven years later*

“Theos Maria! For the last time, I am not going to give up my job!” growled Michael as he held his isyzygos in a fierce grip.

Maria struggled against the hold of his hands on her upper arms as she glared up at him. “Of course! Why would I ever expect your answer to be any different!”

“You know as well as I do that it will never happen! I won’t give up what I have with my coven for you, but I’ll be damned if I will give up on us too!”

Maria huffed. “You sure have a great way of showing it.”

Michael yanked her so close to him that her body seemed to fit perfectly against his. They were so close not even a thin piece of paper could slide between them. Leaning his face close to hers, he growled huskily. “I show you all the time.”

Her green eyes sparkled up at his in anticipation. “Fine! Then show me!”

With another growl, Michael captured her lips in his as her nails dug into his shoulders. Seconds later their clothes dissolved and Maria laughed in delight as she found herself pushed up against the wall. Her laughter was cut short as he thrust into her body so forcefully that she let out a hiss of mixed pain and pleasure.

Michael didn’t even hesitate to begin pounding into her hard and fast and Maria only encouraged him by tightening her walls and limbs around him. Michael growled simultaneously with her as her nails drew blood on his shoulders and she tossed her head back against the wall.

Her grunts and hisses of pleasure urged him on until he managed to somehow get a hold of himself. Keeping her in his arms, he willed them to the bed where he began to slow down their lovemaking.

Maria looked up at him as she lay on her back. “Michael?” she whispered.

He grunted as she slowly slid in and out of her. “I want to enjoy you. Tonight, I am going to enjoy you until you understand just how much you belong to me!”

As he finished saying that, he shifted his hips slightly, touching the sensitive spot he knew Maria had. She closed her eyes and moaned at the pleasurable sensation zinging through her body. He smiled at the look on her face as he continued to make love to his isyzygos for the rest of the night.

************************************************************

Michael stood there wearing a huge smile on his face. He couldn’t remember ever being this happy in his life. Not even when he was around Rena or Nathan was he this happy. And nothing could bring him down from his high. Not even the way Max was pacing near the windows or the way Liz was sitting on the couch looking down at the floor with a frown.

He had known they wouldn’t exactly be thrilled with his news, but he’d hoped Liz at least would be happy for him. Especially since he knew she had gone to talk to Maria almost seven years ago trying to find some way to get them together again. At least she had seemed to be happy when he’d told them that he and Maria had gotten back together again four months ago.

Now, she didn’t look thrilled with his latest news and Max looked even less thrilled.

Liz finally looked up at him as she asked. “Are you sure?”

Michael beamed at her. “Of course I’m sure! Maria and I had the tests done. We weren’t going to just guess. Especially after the last two.”

She sighed. “Right. Of course you would be sure. I just…I mean, are you sure this is what you want?”

Michael gave her an incredulous look. “What man wouldn’t want this? Not only would I want it for myself, but it is also for the good of the coven.”

Max growled under his breath. “I’m not sure about that!”

Michael glanced at Max for a moment before looking directly at Liz. “You know I want this Liz! After everything I’ve been through with Nathan and Rena, how could you think otherwise?”

Liz sighed. “I know, it’s just that I don’t want this to be something she can use against you Michael. I hope she’s not…”

“Liz, Maria was just as surprised as I was to find this out. She wasn’t doing it intentionally.”

“You don’t know that!” growled Max.

Michael frowned at him. “Look, maybe I can’t share her mind the way you and Liz do, but I’m telling you Maria didn’t do this on purpose! She didn’t get pregnant because she thought it was a way to trap me.”

Max still didn’t look convinced.

Michael turned to look at Liz again. “Trust me on this. Maria wasn’t planning on trying to have a kid again, not with the way her and I have been bouncing back and forth with each other. But it happened and she is going to have the child in about five months.”

Liz gave him a questioning look. “Does she want the child?”

Michael hesitated for a moment and that was all the confirmation Liz and Max needed.

“Are you insane!” yelled Max. “You’re telling me Maria doesn’t want it and yet she’s going to have it! What is going on with you two!”

Liz stood up and walked to Max’s side. Laying a calming hand on his arm, she continued to look at Michael as realization dawned on her. “So, all this time you have been the one who wanted a family and now you have that chance again.”

Michael nodded.

Liz shook her head. “Michael, maybe this isn’t the right time. Maybe there is someone else out there who could give you the family you want.”

Michael gave a soft sigh as he looked from Liz to Max and back again. “You don’t understand. I’ve always wanted a family. A family with Maria.”

Max closed his eyes in defeat as Liz’s fingers tightened their hold on his arm. They both knew Michael would say that, but they were hoping they were wrong. Michael had always dreamed of having a family like Max and Liz had. Unfortunately, the only one he wanted a family with was Maria and Maria wasn’t interested in it. Especially after the last time they had attempted to have one.

Every one of them in that room had the feeling that this latest turn in Michael and Maria’s relationship might not be a really good one. Still, the Evans knew they couldn’t do anything about it. This was Michael’s life which he had to deal with on his own.

Liz finally let go of Max’s arm and made her way over to Michael’s side. Both of them ignored the way Max bristled behind them. Liz looked into Michael’s eyes and gave him a genuine smile.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I have to say congratulations Michael. I hope this time you will finally have a family and I hope you have a healthy and wonderful baby.”

Michael grinned. “Thanks, Liz.”

She nodded and leaned in to hug him. “Let me know if you need anything, okay? And please try to get Maria to take better care of herself this time. Maybe Max and I should give you the next few months off so that you can be with her until she gives birth?”

She turned to look at Max in expectation. He was still bristling in anger, but it wasn’t directed at them. He glanced at his isyzygos for a moment before nodding to Michael.

“She’s right. You should take a leave of absence. Stay with her until she’s had the baby and even after she’s had it if you need to. Just keep us informed with what is going on and let us know if you need anything.”

Michael nodded. “Are you certain of this Max?”

“Yes. You need to be with her. All of us want you to have this baby this time. So go. Go and take care of your isyzygos.”

Michael gave them a respectful nod before giving Liz one more bright smile and a hug, then he vanished from sight.

************************************************************

Michael sat in the chair completely in awe of the miracle that rested in his arms. He couldn’t believe it had finally happened. Maria had given him a healthy son. He now had the family he’d been waiting for after all of these years.

A soft knock sounded at the nursery door and he looked up in time to see Liz walking in. She moved to his side and smiled down at the sleeping baby.

“Well, it’s finally happened,” she whispered. “You finally have a son.”

Michael grinned. “Yes, I do.”

Liz lifted her hand to brush her fingers softly over the peach fuzz on the baby’s head. “Did you and Maria decide on a name?”

“Darrius. I named him Darrius.”

Liz nodded as Max materialized in the room right next to her.

He leaned over to look down at the infant boy and slowly smiled. “Darrius huh? It fits.”

Michael nodded his agreement.

Max chuckled. “Well, I guess it’s safe to say he’s going to look like his father too.”

Michael lifted his son closer to his face. “You think?”

Liz grinned. “Gee Michael, you didn’t think Nathan looked like Max and now you don’t think your own son looks like you? Are you sure vampires eyes don’t go bad?”

He rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I meant and you know it!”

She giggled. “I know.” She held out her arms so that Michael could set Darrius into them.

As soon as he did, he got up from the chair and helped Liz into it. Leaning over, he placed a kiss on his son’s forehead before walking out of the room with Max. The two of them walked outside into the backyard where they could talk without an audience.

They stood silently side by side for a few moments, just listening to the night around them. A few moments later, Max glanced at Michael before looking back out at the night.

“How’s Maria?” he asked in a soft voice.

Michael sighed. “As well as she can be, I guess.”

Max frowned, but didn’t look at his friend. “Was it painful for her?”

With a shrug, Michael answered. “Yeah. I think she just wanted to have him already and Darrius just didn’t agree with her. She’s resting now.”

“That’s good,” replied Max.

Michael smiled. “It’s real! Do you have any idea how this feels? I keep thinking this is a dream and I’m going to wake up and realize Darrius isn’t real.”

Max turned to look at Michael as his eyes softened. “It’s real Michael. You really do have a son.”

“Yeah and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life raising him. I think Maria thought I was crazy with the way I kept thanking her for giving him to me.”

“You’ll be a great father Michael, I don’t doubt it at all.”

Michael chuckled. “Yeah, I’m so ready for this and Maria knows it too.”

Max sighed. “Michael…has Maria held him yet?”

Michael went silent for a moment before speaking softly. “She lost consciousness before she had the chance to. But as soon as she wakes up, I’m taking him to her.”

Max looked away. “Are you sure you should do that? I thought you said she wasn’t interested in…”

“She’s his mother, Max. I know she said she wasn’t keen on the idea of having kids, but Darrius is still her son. I won’t deny her the chance to be a mother to him.”

Max slowly nodded. “I know. Just be careful okay? I know you want the best for your family, but sometimes things won’t change no matter how much you want them too.”

Michael sighed. “I know that Max…”

He was interrupted by one of his servants. “Dioikitis? Your isyzygos is awake.”

Michael nodded to her before turning to Max. “I want to thank you and Liz for coming here to see my son. But now it’s time for him to meet his mother.”

************************************************************

Max was doing his best to hold his anger in. Liz sat next to him in the car with her hand holding his tightly. She was trying to keep him from using his powers to bolt from the car and get to Michael’s side immediately. She knew Max was just responding to the distressed sounding call Michael had made to Max a few minutes earlier asking if the both of them could meet him at the Nero building. It was one of the businesses Max owned that was along one of the biggest rivers in the city.

Michael hadn’t said what was wrong, but they both knew it had something to do with either Darrius or Maria. After all, it had been a long five months since the birth of Michael’s son and there was still tension in the family. For those last five months, Maria had not wanted anything to do with the raising of her son. She had told Michael she’d done what he’d wanted her to do. She had the baby, now it was all up to Michael to raise it.

No matter what Michael did, nothing had changed. He couldn’t find a way to make his family a true one. So instead, he had begun to concentrate on raising his son and Maria had begun to shut them both out. Needless to say, Michael only seemed to be truly happy when his attention was concentrated on his son or on the Evans family and their coven.

As the car finally began approaching the Nero building, Liz was suddenly just as eager as Max was to rush off to Michael’s rescue. Neither one of them could wait for the car to come to a complete stop as they climbed out of the car and rushed towards the entrance of the building. Max threw his hand in the air, opening the door with his powers as he rushed in with Liz in tow.

He skidded to a stop when he realized the entire front room was filled with very familiar faces. The most prominent one being Michael, who stood at the front of all of them with a huge smile on his face and holding his five month old son in his arms.

“Welcome Max and Liz!” he chuckled as the others began to clap.

Max stood there with a shocked look on his face as Liz came to stand next to him. A smile began to spread over her face as she saw all of her family and friends cheering them on.

Nathan came forward and hugged his mother. “Happy Anniversary, mom and dad.” He finished as he hugged his father too.

Rena came up next and grinned at them. “Happy 100th mom and dad!” She laughed as she saw her father’s face. “What? Did you think we would forget?”

Max turned a disbelieving look at Michael. “Are you okay?”

Michael chuckled. “Sorry about that Max. It was the only way I could think to get you and Liz to come here together and quickly.”

With his confession, Max suddenly burst into laughter. “Oh Theos! That was a good one indeed!”

Liz nodded. “Yes it was, I don’t think Max and I could’ve gotten here any faster unless we used our powers and you have no idea how much Max had wanted to!”

Caiden snickered behind Nathan. “I win cousin!”

At that, the whole place began to laugh as one by one people went up to congratulate Max and Liz for making it to their 100th year as a couple.

************************************************************

Liz sighed as she leaned against her osizigos chest enjoying the soft strains of the music wafting out to them from inside the upstairs bedroom. They were currently dancing on the balcony of the master bedroom in their home. It was late and the anniversary party had long since ended, but Max had wanted to have a celebration alone with her.

After they had left the Nero building, the two of them had returned to their home and decided to spend the rest of the night on the balcony, dancing and having a few glasses of wine spiked with blood.

The party had turned out to be a success even with Michael, Nathan, and Isabel doing all of the planning. They had somehow managed to do it all without Max or Liz ever having a hint about it. All of the allied coven leaders had been there as well as all of those who were family and friends to Max and Liz. Even Kyle, Tess, and their girls were there.

The only one who had been absent was Maria, but then again Michael hadn’t invited her because he knew how Max felt about her. Liz would have tolerated her for his sake, but Max would have gone after her if she had said even one small thing wrong. So, Michael decided it was best for all involved not to invite her. She had thrown a fit about it, but just because she wanted to, not because she truly wanted to go. Still, Michael had made her stay home.

After spending most of the night laughing, dancing, and enjoying the company of their friends and family, Max and Liz had finally called it a night. At that point Alex and Isabel had said they were going to keep Nathan and Rena for the night. Before Liz and Max had a chance to say anything to that, the two of them had been ushered out of the building and back into the car so that they could go on home.

On the drive all the way back to their home, Max and Liz couldn’t help but laugh like two giddy teenagers over the fact that their family had even conspired to make sure they were alone on their wedding anniversary. Once they were home, the two of them hadn’t wasted any time changing into something more comfortable and gathering up the wine and music to go have a night on the balcony beneath the stars.

Leaning her head back, Liz looked up into her osizigos amber eyes. “Can you believe it Max? We’ve been together for one hundred years! If someone would have told me back in college that I’d be alive to celebrate my 100th wedding anniversary, I would have thought they were crazy.”

Max smiled. “I know. I would have thought so too.” He lifted a hand to caress her cheek. “Not because I didn’t think I’d be alive for that long, but because I would have never believed I’d have found you.”

She leaned her cheek into his hand for a moment before turning her head and kissing his palm. Max sighed before cupping her cheek and bringing her mouth to his. Liz tilted her head back and welcomed his kiss, letting her arms slide up into his hair.

Max smiled against her lips when she moaned into his mouth then he slid his tongue inside to slide against hers. He could feel her fingers pressing into his scalp, trying to keep his mouth on hers. As she savored the taste of her mouth, he let his hands wander from her hips to her back where he found the zipper of her dress.

He could have used his powers for this, but tonight he wanted to cherish the lovemaking with his isyzygos. As he slid the zipper down, exposing her back to the air, he could feel the slight shiver of her body against his. His own body responded in kind as he pressed himself closer to her heat.

Liz moaned again when she felt his hardness against her inner thigh. Suddenly she wanted them unclothed so she could feel every inch of her osizigos against her own skin, but she knew Max wanted to enjoy this, so she reined in her ever growing libido. Instead, she lowered her own hands to the buttons of his shirt and began to slowly unbutton them.

Max slid his hands up her bare back until his fingers curled around the material of her dress on her shoulders. His mouth left hers and began to nibble its way down her cheek, jaw, and neck. When he reached his hand, he began to slide the dress off her shoulders and moved his mouth to nibble on all of the delectable skin he exposed.

Liz had tilted her head back as Max feasted on her skin. As he’d made his way down her neck, she’d pushed his shirt down his own shoulders until it gathered in the crook of his elbows. As he nibbled his way down her shoulder and chest, she let her hands fall to her sides so that he could push her dress down her body.

Max kissed the spot right above her breast as he let the dress drop to the ground before he let his own shirt fall to join her dress. Lifting his arms again, he wrapped them around her waist and slowly walked her back until the railing rested against the small of her back.

Liz could feel the cool iron railing against her skin as Max bent her slightly and ran his tongue over her nipple. She hissed in response and buried one hand in his hair to urge him on. Her other hand slid over his back, enjoying the way his muscles moved as he savored her breast.

Your hazel green tint eyes watching every move I make.

He teased and licked her nipple, nipping at it a few times with his fangs until he was satisfied with the tautness of it before moving to her other breast and repeating the action. He groaned when she lifted one leg, wrapped it around his hip and ground her heat against his groin.

And that feeling of doubt, it's erased.

Liz moaned as she felt more moistness gathering between her legs with each movement of his mouth against her breasts. She knew what he was doing and she wished he’d hurry it up. Her body was dying to have his inside of it. She dug her nails into his flesh and let out a little whimper as she ground her heat harder against his hardness.

I'll never feel alone again with you by my side.

Max growled at her eagerness and moved slightly away from her, eliciting another whimper from her. Kissing her lips quickly, he went down to his knees and removed her thong with a wave of his hand. He decided that cheating once wasn’t so bad and he was thankful that was the only piece of underwear she was wearing.

You're the one, and in you I confide.

As soon as she was naked, he gripped her thigh and lifted her leg to drape over his shoulder. Liz leaned back against the railing, gripping it with her hands as Max bent his head to her core. As soon as she felt his breath against her heat, she leaned back even more and widened her legs for him.

And we have gone through good and bad times.

The first lick of his tongue had her crying out in satisfaction that he was finally going to give her some relief. Lifting one hand, she gripped the back of his head to urge him on and to have an anchor for her body. The leg she had draped over his shoulder tightened its hold around him.

But your unconditional love was always on my mind.

Max took his time enjoying the taste of his syndeo. It had been a while since the last time they had really enjoyed each other like this. Usually their lovemaking was fast and heated because that was the way Liz liked it, but he preferred it slower so that he could savor every inch of her.

You've been there from the start for me.

A gasp escaped her lips when his tongue dipped inside of her before he slid it out and sucked gently on her pleasure button. She whimpered and tugged at his head wanting him to continue what he’d been doing. He obliged by sliding a finger inside of her and rubbing it against her sensitive spot.

And your love’s always been true as can be.

As he began to do that, he took her nub back into his mouth and sucked harder. Liz gave another cry of satisfaction as she began to rock her hips into his mouth and hand. Max added another finger and more pressure with his mouth and tongue, building her up a little at a time until she finally came with a cry of his name. “Oh Maaax!”

I give my heart to you.

Her cry echoed in the air around them as he pulled his fingers out of her and continued to lap at the feast she’d given him. Liz shuddered in ecstasy and began to push at his shoulders trying to get him to move away from her. Slowly his head came up and he looked up at her with glistening skin and molten gold eyes.

I give my heart, cause nothing can compare in this world to you.

She growled softly at the look of him. “Stripsas.” With that she pulled him up and used her own powers to remove the rest of his clothing before she pushed him back to lay on the chaise lounge that was on the balcony. As soon as he was comfortable, Liz moved to kneel at the foot of it and leaned over to take him into her hand.

And we have gone through good and bad times.

Max hissed between his teeth as he watched Liz curl her fingers around his shaft and swirl her tongue around the head. She began to slowly stroke him as her mouth took him in inch by inch until she tightened it around him and began to suck in earnest. Max groaned as he continued to watch her through hooded eyes.

But your unconditional love was always on my mind.

He could feel her tongue swirling around the head and sliding against the underside of his shaft. He moaned every time her tongue slid against the most sensitive part of the head. Unable to stand anymore of her teasing, he threw his head back and growled as his fingers curled into her hair.

You've been there from the start for me.

Liz knew he was more than ready for her, just as she was for him. So with one last lick, she let go of him and slid up his body. Max’s hands instinctively wrapped around her hips as he helped guide her to him. As soon as she was level with his hips, she sank down onto him, taking him completely into her eager depths.

And your love’s always been true as can be.

They both let out simultaneous moans at being joined together as one and remained still for a few moments to savor it. When Max opened his eyes slightly, Liz began to slowly lift herself up and then slid back down again. His hands on her hips helped her to slowly ride him.

I give my heart to you.

The slow movements created a delicious friction between their bodies and neither one of them was in any hurry to end it. In fact, Liz continued to enjoy it until she felt the first prickling of her skin. Dawn was on its way.

I give my heart, cause nothing can compare in this world to you.

Knowing that their time was growing short, she began to pick up speed. Max helped her by tightening his hold on her waist and pulling her down onto him even as he raised his own hips up into hers. Liz curled her own fingers into the flesh of his abdomen and threw her head back as she felt her end nearing once more.

I give my heart to you.

Tightening her walls around him, she screamed her orgasm to the sky as her nails drew blood. Max answered her scream with a shout of his own. Triggered by the grip of her walls and nails, he’d thrown his own head back and thrust himself deeper into her body until he exploded in bliss.

I give my heart, cause nothing can compare in this world to you.

It was a few moments later that their bodies finally seemed to want to slow down and Liz draped herself over his slick torso. She let out a sigh of contentment before whispering, “Eftikhismenos epetios, agapo mou.”

Max ran his fingers through her hair as he replied, “Neh. Keh idios elpizo emis ekho ekato perisoteros.”

TBC...

song is Warmness On The Soul byAvenged Sevenfold

new Greek words
nero - water
stripsas - your turn
eftikhismenos - happy
epetios - anniversary
elpizo - hope
ekato - 100
(reminder: I lost my list, so I hope I included words you don't know yet)

approximate ages in the last couple of parts
Liz- 128/32
Max- 423/32
Nathan/Arissa/Caiden- 96/16
Michael- 319/27
Maria- 415/32
Isabel-529/37
Alex-560/39
Vanessa- 212/22
Aidan-242/23
Kyle- 221/22
Tess- 423/32
Rena/Olivia- 38/14

RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK ON PREVIOUS PAGE

Song is Make Me Smile by Blue October

Part 42

*13 years later*

She slid her hands over his shoulders and laid one at the nape of his neck while the other one trailed into his dark hair. She sighed as his kiss deepened and he slid his arms around her waist.

Some kind of light
at the end
I'm touching
the edge of her skin

Slowly he maneuvered her until she could feel the bed against the back of her knees. It was only then did he raise his head from hers and she could see the molten gold of his eyes. Like every female before her, she lost herself in that gaze.

Once so hard to speak
Now so easy to play around
Catching your eye you know
That eye that slapped you in your face
and called you a puppy
Well how do you say
I was hypnotized
Hypnotized

He lifted a hand to her cheek and caressed it softly, his voice hoarse as he spoke. “We shouldn’t be in here. They’ll come looking for us if we go missing from the party for too long.”

My words, they pour
Like children to the playground
Children to the playground
You make me smile

She smiled as his fingers began to play in her hair. She had worn it long on purpose. She knew how much he loved to run his fingers through her hair.

There's some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin
And touching the edge of her skin

“We have a little time,” she whispered. “I’ve missed you.”

And could you be the one that's not afraid
To look me in the eyes
I swear I would collapse
If I would tell how I think you fell
From the sky

He groaned at her admission before his lips covered hers once more. She was the one to move back onto the bed, pulling him down on top of her. She spread her legs a little, allowing him to settle between them.

Yeah my words, they pour
Like children to the playground
Children to the playground
You make me smile

His hands began to roam down her sides as hers caressed his shoulders and back. Tilting her head back, she gave him access to her neck, sighing when he began to nibble there. She slid a hand between them and began to unbutton his shirt, letting her fingers trail over the skin she exposed.

There's some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin
And touching the edge of her skin

A hiss escaped his throat when he felt her fingers against his chest, but it soon turned to a moan when her nails scraped over his nipple. Her lips moved to nibble at his ear lobe and he felt her soft breath against his skin.

There's some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin
And touching the edge of her skin

“Touch me,” came her whispered plea.

It's the feeling I get
My palms with sweat
Like some kind of daydream
I'll never forget
I'm stuck in this spin
Why does it begin
By touching the edge of her skin

He couldn’t deny her a thing as he lowered his hand beneath her shirt and slid it up until he was cupping her bra covered breast. She gasped and arched up into his hand as he began to knead it tenderly.

There's some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin
And touching the edge of her skin

She captured his lips in hers again, kissing him passionately as their hands continued to roam over more skin. She could feel her body heat rising, a sign that she would need more from him soon. She just hoped he would want to give it to her.

There's some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin
And touching the edge of her skin

“Arissa, do you think…”

Two startled gazes looked up from the bed when Olivia just barged into the room without preamble. Olivia’s eyes went wide at the sight of them a split second before she let out a shrill scream.

“Oh my Theos!”

The scream effectively had the two of them scrambling from the bed trying to get their clothing back in order again. They each stood on either side of the bed hastily trying to right their clothes and hair and that was the scene that the others came upon.

Liz and Tess were the first on the scene, right behind Rena who had been in the next room with Olivia. Both women widened their eyes and quickly looked at each other, an unspoken agreement passing between them.

“Arissa! What were you thinking?” asked Tess as she watched her seventeen year old daughter blushing and straightening her clothes out.

Before Arissa had any chance to say a word, Kyle appeared in the doorway. “Olivia, what are you yelling about now?”

Olivia didn’t say a word, instead she just stood near the wall gaping at the two near the bed. Kyle looked from one to the other, taking in their appearances and knew. Tess grimaced as she reached out for him.

“Honey…”

Kyle’s face turned red with fury as he roared, “I’m going to kill you, you bastard!”

Nathan’s eyes went wide as he backed up from Kyle and held up his hands in surrender. “Wait! I…”

Kyle launched himself at the boy, but before he had a chance to touch him, Michael and Max appeared in the room. Michael’s quick reflexes came in handy as he immediately willed himself between Nathan and Kyle, effectively shielding the hapless teenager from being shredded.

Kyle growled against Michael’s hold. “Out of my way Dioikitis! He’s dead!”

Max frowned as he realized what had gone on and why Kyle now wanted to kill his only son. Glancing at Liz, he willed himself to Nathan’s side and grabbed his arm.

I’m taking Nate to my office. See that the Valentis calm down and accept our apologies.

Of course. I’ll send everyone else home too, replied Liz.

Max nodded as he looked into Kyle’s eyes. “I’m sorry, my friend.”

Kyle growled low as he watched Max and Nathan disappear from the room. As soon as they were gone, he pushed away from Michael and glared at him.

Tess frowned at Olivia before walking over to her osizigos and taking his hand. “Kyle? Come on, we should take our daughters home.”

Kyle nodded as he turned his gaze to Arissa. She lowered her head at the searing look he gave her, but at least she had managed to get herself straightened up now.

Tess turned to look at Liz. “Thanks for having us over Liz.”

Liz nodded. “It’s always a pleasure to see all of you. I’m so sorry about this though.”

Tess nodded. “I am too, but we’ll work it out I’m sure.” She tugged at Kyle’s hand. “We should get going, huh?”

Kyle tore his gaze away from his older daughter. “Yeah, let’s go.” Without another word he walked out of the room.

Tess sighed and motioned for Arissa to follow her. As Arissa came to her mother’s side, Olivia giggled. “Someone’s in trouble!” she said in a sing song voice.

Tess’ head snapped towards her younger daughter as she pinned her with a glare. “Yes,” she hissed. “Someone is in trouble indeed for not knowing her manners!”

Olivia went silent and lowered her gaze to the ground as a sullen look spread over her face. Rena had been standing next to her friend, but moved away when Tess looked in their direction. Silently she went to stand next to her own mother.

Tess looked at Liz once more and smiled. “We’ll talk later?”

Liz nodded. “Yes, once we’ve cleared everything up.” She walked over to Tess and gave her a hug. “Thanks for coming over today.”

Liz then turned towards Arissa and gave her a tender smile. “It was good to see you too, Rissa.”

The girl nodded shyly as Liz pulled her into an affectionate hug. “I’m sorry, Kyria.”

Liz stepped back and patted her cheek. “It’s okay. Don’t worry, it’ll all work out.”

Tess and Liz exchanged another silent look before Tess wrapped her arm around Arissa’s shoulder and guided her towards the door. As she did, she glared at her youngest once more, “We’re leaving now!”

Olivia sulked as she followed her mother and older sister out of the room.

Just as they cleared the door, Alex and Caiden walked in. One glance at Arissa and Caiden knew what had happened. He smirked.

“Well now, for once I wasn’t the one who got them into trouble.”

A look from Alex had him bowing his head. “Do me a favor Caiden. Go keep your mother company.”

“What? But…”

“Now Caid!” snapped Alex.

Caiden sulked as he turned and stormed down the hall.

Alex looked up at Liz with a smile. “Would you like for me to help disperse the guests?”

Liz nodded. “That would be wonderful Alex, thank you.”

Michael walked towards Alex, “Darrius and I will help too. Would you like us to take Rena with us?”

Liz turned to look at her daughter, “Rena, would you mind?”

Rena shook her head. “No. I can help too since I am the second Kyria of the house.”

Liz smiled at her daughter with pride. “Of course you are.”

Michael grinned as Rena joined them. “Don’t worry about a thing Liz, we’ve got it under control.”

************************************************************

“What were you thinking? Wait! Were you even thinking! Or were you letting that boy fill your head with his pretty words?” yelled Kyle.

Arissa lifted her chin in defense. “You don’t even know what’s going on dad! It’s not what you think.”

“Not what I think! What exactly am I supposed to think when I walk into the room to see my daughter and that boy doing their best to straighten their appearances and not look anyone in the eyes! I don’t even want to think of what might have happened if Olivia hadn’t wandered in when she did!”

Tess folded her arms in front of her chest. “Kyle. Yelling at her isn’t going to solve anything.”

“Yeah well it’s certainly making me feel better!” he hissed.

Arissa frowned. “Dad, if you could stop being such a he-man for one minute and listen to me, I can explain.”

“Explain what? Why you and that boy were alone in his room?”

“His name is Nathan!” she growled. “And I would appreciate it if you would understand that.”

“Understand! You want me to understand why my daughter was caught making out with a boy in his bedroom!”

Arissa stomped her foot in agitation. “I’m one hundred and nine years old dad! I’m not a child!”

“No! You’re my daughter! Which means you have to do exactly what I say! And I’m telling you to go to your room and stay there until you are four hundred years old!”

“You can’t do that!”

“Oh yes I can! And if I catch that boy around you again…”

“Theos dad! When are you going to listen to me! I love him!” she shouted.

With those words silence descended in the room. Arissa continued to stare at her father with tears of desperation beginning to well in her eyes while her mother looked from one to the other with a look of panic on her face.

It was a long pregnant pause before Kyle whispered menacingly. “What did you say?”

Arissa refused to be cowed as she lifted her chin in defiance. “I said I love Nathan.” She paused for a moment before she added, “And he loves me.”

As his nostrils flared and his face began to turn red, Tess quickly moved to his side. She looked at her daughter with a serious expression. “Arissa, do as your father asked and go to your room. Stay there until we send for you again.”

Wisely, Arissa did exactly what her mother asked. The moment she was gone from the room, Kyle spun around and glared at Tess.

“Did you hear what she just said! She doesn’t even know what that means! How can she! She’s too young to know!”

Tess sighed. “Whether she’s too young or not, it’s what she believes.”

“Of course she believes it! He’s been brainwashing her with all those pretty words of his! He’s just like his father!”

Tess narrowed her eyes at him before she said, “Kyle. I think you should take a deep breath and calm down before you say something that you’ll regret. You know very well I can make you eat those words!”

Kyle scowled at her for a moment before he turned away and looked at the wall. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. He knew she was right. She was in his mind and she knew what he was thinking. No matter how long it had been, Kyle still felt inferior to the Archigos of the Aristomache.

Tess walked up to him and slid her arms around his waist. Laying her head against his shoulder, she whispered to him. “You have got to stop that Kyle. You are nothing like Max, but that is what I love about you. You are a kind, loving man who always makes me smile. You are exactly what I want in an osizigos and I wouldn’t trade you in for anything. Why can’t you just let it go?”

Kyle sighed as he turned in her arms and hugged her to him. “I wish it was that easy. I wish I could just forget about it, but now that Arissa seems to be enamored with his son, I’ll never be rid of it will I?”

Tess tilted her head back to look into his eyes. “Honey, we are connected. You know very well that I would never look at Max as anything other than a friend. Liz is one of my closest friends and I’d never do something like that to either of them! And you know how glad I am that both Liz and Max were able to forgive me for the things I did to them before I met you. I never loved Max. You are the only one I’ve ever loved.”

Kyle gave her a smile as he cupped her cheek. “I love you too, Tess.” He closed his eyes and placed his forehead against hers. “Do you think she means it?”

Tess knew exactly what he was talking about. “Yes. And I think he loves her too.” As Kyle grimaced she added, “I saw the way they looked at each other when we all walked in.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, still hoping against it.

She gave him a sad smile as she caressed his cheek. “Honey. As much as you want it not to be true, you can’t stop anyone from falling in love. Arissa could have done worse you know. Nathan is a good boy and he was raised by wonderful parents. I trust him to do right by our daughter.”

Kyle frowned as he looked into her eyes. “Honey, your words don’t hide what you are thinking.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know that, but despite the fact that I haven’t said it out loud, you know it’s true. Besides, I’m not just thinking of the political advantages of a union between Arissa and Nathan. You know I’m also thinking of my daughter’s feelings. If it works out, I’ll be behind her. If it doesn’t, I’ll be there for her too. In the end, Arissa is all that matters.”

Kyle nodded. “You’re right. She’s all that matters.” He hesitated for a moment before adding, “And if he makes her happy then we can’t stop them from being together, can we?”

“No honey. All we can do is support her decisions and be there for her when she needs us.”

“Right. Will you talk to her? I’ll go apologize after you talk to her, but I need you to have the talk first.”

Tess nodded. “Yeah, I’ll go there right after I have a talk with our other daughter.”

Kyle groaned. “Yeah, you do that.”

************************************************************

Nathan stood in the middle of the office with his hands behind his back. For once it wasn’t his father who was lecturing him. Instead, his mother was giving him glares and reprimanding him for his behavior while his father sat in his chair behind the desk.

“Nathan, were you even thinking about what her father would do to you when he found out?”

Nathan sighed as he looked up at his mother. “I wanted to tell all of you, but Arissa wanted to wait a little longer. She knew Kyle would be upset, but I thought if I just talked to him…”

“Talk to him? What exactly were you going to say? Kyle don’t kill me, but your daughter and I are in love with each other. Yeah, that would have gone over really well.”

Max quirked an eyebrow at the sound of sarcasm dripping from his isyzygos words. He couldn’t help but grin at her before he turned to look at Nathan.

“What are your intentions Nathan?”

Liz turned and gaped at him. “Max!”

Max lifted a placating hand as he continued to look at Nathan, waiting for an answer.

“I love her dad. I know it seems sudden, but the truth is Arissa and I have been close for a very long time now. And over the last several years, we’ve both come to realize just how much we mean to each other. What I feel for her isn’t just a passing phase, I know it isn’t.”

Liz frowned. “Nathan, you have to be sure this is what you want. Don’t say it just because…”

Nathan interrupted her. “Mom! This isn’t about politics or even family problems! This is about me and Arissa only! I do love her! I do! And I intend to love her for as long as she’ll have me!”

Liz glanced at Max who was now wearing an unreadable expression on his face. However, just because she couldn’t read his expression didn’t mean she didn’t know what he was thinking. Turning back to her son, she asked the question they both wanted to know.

“Have you and Arissa…”

Nathan shook his head. “No, we haven’t. I want to wait until we told everyone about us. She doesn’t.”

Liz smiled at her son. Nathan was proving to be just as honorable as his father was. Even though he and Arissa had been caught making out, at least he hadn’t dishonored her in that way.

Nathan sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, in a gesture so like his father’s. “Look, I know what it looked like, but I swear to you both that I had no intention of doing that with her in my room. Our families were here and I wouldn’t do something like that to her or to her family. We just wanted a few moments alone, that’s all.”

Liz nodded. “I know you did. I’m sorry Nate, it’s just unfortunate that it had to come out this way.”

Nathan nodded as he looked at her. “I want to apologize to her father, but I’m not sure if he’ll let me anywhere near his family again.”

Max chuckled. “Give him some time, son. I’m sure Tess will calm him down soon. In any case, your mother and I will be talking to them first to make sure everything’s okay. When we get the go ahead, we’ll let you know, okay?”

“Okay.”

Max glanced at Liz for a moment before looking back at his son. “Good. Now, I need you to remember for future reference, please try not to disrespect her parents or us in our homes. If you’re feelings for her are as true as you say they are then I trust you to always remember to do right by all of us. But most of all, I trust you to do right by Arissa. Do I make myself clear?”

Nathan bowed his head in respect. “I understand, father.”

Max rose from his seat. “Good then let’s wait a few days before we contact the Valentis.”

************************************************************

Vanessa walked into her mother’s sitting room to find her scowling at the table. “Mom? You okay?”

Isabel looked up from what she’d been attempting to read and grinned at the sight of her daughter. “Nessa!”

Vanessa allowed her mother to embrace her in a tight hug before they pulled away from each other. “Are you all right mom?”

Isabel nodded. “Yes. Yes I’m fine. So, what brings you here?” She asked as she motioned for Vanessa to take the seat next to her.

“Dad called earlier. He seemed a bit upset so I thought I’d come by and see what I could do.”

Isabel sighed. “Oh right.”

Vanessa raised her eyebrow at the sound of her mother’s voice.

“Mom? What’s going on?”

Isabel sat back in her chair and folded her hands in her lap. “What else do you think it is?”

Vanessa looked at her mother for a few moments before nodding. “Caiden.”

Isabel scowled. “Your father and I are running out of patience with him. And I can’t think of anything else we can do to reach him.”

“What did he do now?”

Isabel shook her head. “It’s not anything he’s done. It’s more of the way he just is. He’s always being rude, wild, and sullen. He’s not listening to anyone anymore.” She paused to look up at her daughter. “Did you know that he’s no longer really friends with Arissa and Nathan?”

Vanessa widened her eyes. “Really? I thought they were the three musketeers!”

“Not anymore. They haven’t been for a while now. I heard Arissa complaining that she and Nathan didn’t like the way Caiden kept trying to goad them into doing things that would get them into serious trouble. Apparently Nathan is spending so much time with his father that Max’s honorable sensibilities are starting to rub off on him.”

Vanessa chuckled. “Well, that’s a good thing then. He is expected to take the role of leadership after his father after all.”

Isabel nodded. “Yes, we all know that. But what we don’t understand is why Caiden isn’t doing the same with Alex. Your father has been trying to get Caiden to spend time with him, but Caiden just won’t take it seriously.”

“I see.” Vanessa responded before they both fell into silence.

It was a few minutes later that Vanessa spoke up again. “Mom, what would you say to having Caiden return with me to my coven? He can stay with us for a while and Aidan will put him to work while he’s there. You know how good Aidan is with troublemakers.”

Isabel nodded. Everyone knew just what Aidan thought of troublemakers since he had grown up with the shadow of a rebellious half brother looming over him. To this day Aidan was a hard taskmaster when it came to straightening out any rebels or troublemakers.

“You don’t think Aidan would mind?” she asked.

Vanessa chuckled. “It’s his suggestion. I just finished talking to him and he thinks this might be a possible solution for getting Caiden to shape up.”

Isabel grinned. She should have known her daughter would be one step ahead of her. After all, Vanessa had certainly surprised everyone over the past several years. Ever since she became Aidan’s isyzygos and the Archiga of the Irinikos coven, Vanessa had blossomed into a wiser and more mature woman. Gone was the immature, indecisive teen who had been naïve about the world and its inhabitants.

“Well then, let’s run this by your father and see if we can put this plan into motion huh?”

Vanessa smiled. “Sure.”

************************************************************

Tess stood in the doorway watching her oblivious youngest daughter twirling her hair in her fingers. Olivia sat in the middle of her bed flipping through the magazine in her lap wearing a devious smile on her face. Tess knew that smile very well even if her husband didn’t.

She cleared her throat and walked into the room. Olivia looked up from her magazine and stopped twirling her hair.

“Hi mom! What’s up?” she asked in a cheerful voice. One that was meant to let anyone think she was innocent and happy.

Tess wasn’t fooled. “You want to tell me what you were trying to accomplish today?”

Olivia gave her an innocent look. “What do you mean?”

Tess sat down on the edge of her bed. “Oh you know exactly what I mean Olivia! Why were you trying to get your sister into trouble?”

Olivia pouted and looked down at the bed. She fingered the edge of the magazine. “I was only looking for her.”

“Olivia! You can stop with the act! You know very well that I’m not falling for your games. Now answer my question, why were you trying to get Arissa in trouble?”

“I wasn’t! Honestly mom! I was just looking for her and Rena said she saw her going up the stairs with Nathan. So I went up to look for her and I heard her voice coming from the room. I swear I didn’t know what they were doing in there.”

Tess narrowed her eyes at her daughter.

“I swear mom! I was just looking for her!”

“Why were you looking for her?”

“I wanted to ask her something.”

“What was so important that you had to ask her so quickly?”

Olivia frowned. “Mom, you act as if you didn’t want them to get caught.”

Tess growled. “Your father is on the verge of wanting Nathan’s head and I’m holding you responsible for it.”

Olivia swallowed as she spoke meekly. “I just wanted to ask her if she thought I’d have a chance with her friend.”

“I’m assuming it’s Caiden you’re talking about.”

“He talked to me at the party and he said some things to me, so I wanted to ask her if she thought he liked me.”

Tess sighed. “Olivia, when are you going to realize that you are not the only girl Caiden talks to? Besides that, he’s already made it quite clear that he considers you to be like a little sister, just like he considers Arissa.”

Olivia pouted. “Well, I’m not his little sister.”

Tess shook her head. Olivia just wouldn’t let this endless fascination with Caiden go. Nothing anyone could say seemed to deter her from thinking she still had a chance with the boy. Not even Caiden could change her mind. Still, that wasn’t what Tess wanted to talk about right then.

“Look Olivia. I want you to understand something. And I suggest you listen well. You may have your father wrapped around your finger, but that’s not the case for anyone else understand? You can act the innocent all you want, but I know you got a thrill out of embarrassing your sister and Nathan with that scream of yours. You wanted all of us running to your supposed rescue so we could see what you saw. Mark my words girl, you ever do something foolish like that again, I’ll make sure you regret it!”

Olivia had the grace to look thoroughly guilty.

“I don’t care what stories you’ve heard Olivia, but there was never a time where I acted like a drama queen the way you do. I may have done some things I’m not proud of, but I never did anything that I didn’t regret later. Trust me on this, you keep doing these things and they will come back to haunt you someday.”

Olivia slowly nodded.

Tess sighed. “I’m not telling you this to threaten you Olivia. I’m saying this because you are my daughter. And despite what you may think, I love you and I don’t want to see you hurt anyone else or yourself. Do you understand?”

Olivia raised teary eyes to her mother. “I understand. I’m sorry mom.”

Tess nodded. “I know you are, but I expect you to go apologize to your sister too.”

“I will.”

************************************************************

Max wrapped his arms around his isyzygos waist and pulled her back against him. He rested his cheek against her head as he stared out of the window with her. Liz had been in the domatio ilios for most of the night after they’d had that talk with Nathan. It was obvious to Max why she was standing there staring out at the night.

“Liz, I know you’re worried.”

“No Max, you don’t understand what I’m feeling.”

“Yes I do, Liz.”

“Just because you can read my mind doesn’t mean you understand. You were never human! You don’t know…”

“Liz! Nathan is my son. It matters not if I was ever human! He’s still my son. And yours. I know what you are feeling.”

Liz turned around to look up at him. “Max, I know you think this match is a good one. It’s a perfect way to tie the Aristomache and the Akakios covens together.”

Max sighed as he took her hand in his and lifted it to his chest. “Yes, I think the match would be a good one, but I’m not just thinking like a leader Liz. Nathan is my son before anything else and I just want to make sure what he’s feeling is real. I want him to be sure because he’s not bonded to Arissa like I am to you.”

Liz frowned. “They haven’t slept together yet.”

Max nodded. “True, but I don’t think they are each other’s syndeo.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Max shrugged. “Just a hunch I have. You know it’s a rare thing. Just because it happened to me doesn’t mean it will happen to any of our children. Still, what Nathan and Arissa share can be just as deep. All we have to do is look at Isabel and Alex to know that.”

“But what if somewhere along the way one of them finds their syndeo? What happens then? One of them is going to get their heart broken.”

He nodded. “I know, but there’s really nothing we can do about that except to be there for them. You know that Liz. All we can do is support our son in his love for Arissa. We can’t forbid him from seeing her or having feelings for her because if we do, he’ll just go behind our backs.”

Liz closed her eyes. “I just don’t want them to get hurt.”

Max hugged her to him. “I know you don’t, agapo mou. I don’t want to see them hurt either, but we can’t forbid them this. I don’t want to risk losing my son if we do.”

Liz hugged him back. “You’re right. I won’t risk it either.” As a tear slid down her cheek she whispered, “Why do they have to be so young? Why couldn’t they have stayed our kids for a little longer?”

Max closed his eyes as he held her tighter. “I don’t know. Sometimes the world wants us to grow up faster than even we may want to.”

A soft sob escaped her lips as she clung to her osizigos. She knew without a doubt that he was speaking from experience.

TBC...

Part 43

*15 years later*

“Kano esi simfono mechri timo to thromo too yamos, Nathaniel Maxwell Evans?”

“I kano,” replied Nathan as he looked into his love’s eyes.

“Keh kano esi simfono mechri timo toos episis, Arissa Annabella Valenti?”

“Idios kano,” came her breathless reply.

The mystikistis nodded his acceptance of their vows before turning towards the Archigos and Archiga of the Aristomache. “Kano esi thino martiras mechri to pandria too afti thio neos anthropi etho simera?”

Liz nodded as Max replied for both of them. “Emis thino martiras keh mas efloyia.”

The mystikistis nodded once more before turning to Kyle and Tess who stood on the other side. “Keh kano esi thino martiras mechri ton pandria episis?”

Tess nodded as well as everyone waited for Kyle to say the words. When he didn’t, Tess jabbed his side with her elbow.

Kyle frowned. She’s only one hundred and twenty-four!

Which makes her old enough to make her own decisions Kyle! We already talked about this and you gave her your word! Go back now and trust me, you’ll be cold for months! MONTHS!

Kyle gave a mental growl, but finally mumbled, “Emis thino martiras keh mas efloyia.”

“Toteh epitrepo mas kalos ilthateh protos Nathaniel Evans keh too isyzygos, prota Arissa Evans too Aristomache.”

As soon as the mystikistis announced that they were husband and wife and the next in line to inherit the Aristomache, Nathan slid his arm around his isyzygos waist and pulled her in for the kiss that would seal them together forever.

Liz and Tess watched the two of them embrace with tears in their eyes while Max beamed at them. At first Kyle pursed his lips at the affectionate display going on in front of him, but soon even he had tears in his eyes as a smile teased the corner of his mouth.

Nathan pulled away from his isyzygos enough to rest his forehead against hers as they shared a smile and looked into each others eyes for a few moments. Then they turned around to face the crowd with their arms entwined as those before them began to kneel in acceptance of their protos and prota. Nathan nodded to them before turning to Kyle and Tess as Arissa did the same to Max and Liz.

Nathan hugged Tess before moving to Kyle and extending his hand in a gesture of gratitude. Kyle rolled his eyes, but even Nathan could see the smile that sparkled in his eyes as he firmly shook his new son-in-law’s hand before pulling him in for a fatherly hug.

As he did so, Kyle whispered into his ear. “You ever hurt her, I will skin you alive.”

Nathan pulled away to look into Kyle’s eyes and said with all seriousness, “I wouldn’t expect anything else, Kyrios.”

Kyle nodded in respect before Nathan turned away to claim his bride once more. Arissa finished hugging Liz and Max, who both had let her know how welcome she was as their daughter-in-law, before taking her osizigos arm and letting him lead her down the pathway towards the house where the rest of the celebration would take place.


************************************************************

It hadn’t taken that long for all of the guests to make their way from the gazebo at the back of the Aristomache mansion to the patio area where the wedding celebration continued. There Nathan and Arissa mingled with families, friends, and guests as everyone eventually managed to wish them both a long and happy marriage.

Max, Liz, Kyle, and Tess stood off to one side watching their children enjoying the beginning of their lives together.

Kyle gave a resigned sigh as he watched the two of them with their arms around each other. “Well, I guess it’s done now.”

Max looked at Kyle for a moment before glancing at Liz, who gave him a mental push in Kyle’s direction. He took a deep breath and spoke to Kyle. “I know how you feel Kyle. Believe me, there will be a time when I will have to go through it with Rena and I am already dreading the day I will have to let her go. For what it’s worth, I have all the faith in my son to do what’s right by your daughter. I know Nathan will never allow her to be hurt.”

Kyle nodded as he looked up at Max. “I know that. I trust him, more than I care to admit, but I do. I just wasn’t ready to let go so soon.”

Tess wrapped an arm around her osizigos waist in comfort. “She will never be far from us, agapo mou. You know that. Nathan would never allow her to forget her family.”

Kyle smiled wistfully as he turned to look at his daughter once more. “Yes and for that, I am eternally grateful.”

Max nodded his agreement as he too turned wistful eyes on his son and daughter-in-law. Liz took his hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze, letting him know she shared his thoughts. Kyle was sad about the fact that Arissa was now a woman about to start her own family. Max was sad that his son was now a man, no longer in need of a father to raise him, since he would be raising a son of his own one day.

As the four of them comforted each other with their thoughts and presence, Rena stalked up to them. Max glanced down at his sixty-six year old daughter who wore the perfect pout of a fifteen year old.

“What’s wrong, meli?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes. “I think I need new friends.”

Liz quirked an eyebrow at her. “What do you mean by that?”

Rena sighed dramatically. “Olivia won’t stop her whining and I’m getting tired of listening to the same complaint over and over again. She just won’t talk about anything else.”

Kyle narrowed his eyes. “Let me guess. She’s moping because Caiden isn’t here.”

Rena’s huff was all the answer he needed.

“Rena, why don’t you go find Michael and Darrius? I’m sure they would keep you more entertained than anyone else would and Michael has been complaining that you’ve been neglecting him lately,” suggested Liz.

Rena widened her eyes. “Oh no! That won’t do! I have to go find them right now!”

With that she walked off to find her favorite second father and his twenty-eight year old son. It was already a well known fact that wherever you found Michael Guerin, you also found his shadow, known as Darrius.

After Maria had made it known that she didn’t want to raise her own son, Michael had gladly taken Darrius under his wing and practically raised him on his own. Of course, he wasn’t really alone since he spent much of his time working with Max and his family. While he was there, Darrius was either tagging along with him or hanging out with Liz, Rena, Nathan, and any of the other family members who happened to be in the Aristomache mansion.

Since Rena was the daughter Michael never had, she tended to hang around Michael as often as she was allowed, so of course that meant she also became close to Darrius who looked like a thirteen year old boy to her fifteen years. There were many people who worried about how Darrius would turn out since his mother wanted nothing to do with him, but at the moment he seemed to enjoy the huge extended family he had in the Evans, Whitmans, and Hardings.

As she hurried through the crowd, keeping a look out for Michael and Darrius, she wasn’t so quick to dodge someone who seemed to be hurrying the other way. With a gasp of surprise, she bumped into a solid body and was immediately propelled backwards. Luckily the same body she’d bumped into had quick reflexes and reached out to steady her before she could tumble to the ground.

“Oh gosh I am so sorry! Did I hurt you?” asked a worried voice as she righted herself.

She looked to make sure her dress was still okay before shaking her head. “No, it’s okay. I’m…” she paused as she looked up into eyes that reminded her of the blue gems Tess was often fond of wearing. What were they called? Sapphires, yes that was it.

He smiled at her as he reached out to touch her arm. “You’re…” But it was his turn to pause when he felt the current of electricity that went through him as soon as he’d touched her. Her suddenly enlarged pupils and the flare of her nostrils told him she’d experienced it too.

“Fine!” she squeaked, just before jerking her arm away from him. “I’m fine!”

“O-okay.”

She nodded before trying to move past him. As she began to walk away, he called out to her. “Wait!”

She froze and slowly turned around with hesitation. He held out his hand to her again in greeting. “I’m sorry for being rude. I’m Quinn.”

She stared down at his hand, but refused to touch it. Slowly she looked back up into his sapphire eyes and whispered, “Rena.”

Quinn couldn’t do anything but stand there and watch as his future syndeo fled from his presence.

************************************************************

“How’s Caiden doing?” asked Liz as she and Isabel stood there watching Tess and Kyle chastising Olivia for hounding Isabel for news of Caiden, whom she had blatantly called the man she was going to marry someday. Needless to say, Kyle wasn’t having any of it and Tess was trying to talk some sense into her increasingly delusional daughter.

Isabel frowned at Liz’s question. “Not good I’m afraid. Nessa says she and Aidan have done just about everything they can think of to straighten him out, but nothing seems to be working. He still remains as stubborn and rebellious as ever.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Isabel. We all hoped Aidan would be able to get through to him this time.”

Isabel nodded. “Yes, we did too. But Aidan and Alex are currently discussing the idea of sending Caiden over to Europe for a few years like Joran once did for him.”

Liz turned to look at Isabel. “Do you think that would work?”

“I don’t know. Aidan says that the place he stayed at was very regimented and well run. He thinks that Caiden might not be able to rebel when he’s surrounded by complete strangers. Aidan said that was the one thing that kept him in line the most. Knowing that he was pretty much dependent on himself and if he messed up, no one would be there to clean up after him.”

Liz nodded. “Hm, sounds like that may be an option then.”

Isabel shook her head. “I hope so. He’s not responding to anything else, so if this doesn’t work, then there just might not be any more hope left for him.”

Liz reached out to wrap her arm around Isabel’s shoulders giving her some comfort. “Cheer up, Isabel. There’s still a little hope left. I’m not going to stop hoping for a miracle. Not now or ever.”

Isabel gave Liz a grateful smile. “Thanks Liz.”

Liz nodded as Tess walked up to them scowling. “This is my penance isn’t it? Liz, what do I have to do make you forgive me?”

Liz blinked in confusion at Tess. “Huh?”

Tess shook her head. “I can’t think of any other reason as to why Olivia is the way she is. It’s my penance for what I did!”

Realization dawned in Liz’s eyes and she began to shake her head. “Tess that’s not true and you know it! Max and I forgave you over a century ago! There’s no need for you to be punished for what you did! Besides, you didn’t really do any harm anyway.”

Tess huffed. “Yeah, well someone clearly thinks I need to punished for something.”

This time it was Isabel who consoled Tess. “Cheer up Tess. It’s just a phase for her. I’m sure of it. She’s still a teenager. Just let her grow up and she’ll get over it. Besides, Alex is thinking of sending Caiden to Europe for a few years just as Joran once sent Aidan, so Olivia won’t have recourse to him at all.”

Tess’ eyes went wide. “Oh Theos! Kyle is going to want to chain her down then! The pethi will be trying to run away to Europe when she hears this!”

Max walked up to the women and slid his arm around Liz’s waist. “I think the newlyweds are getting ready to retire for the night,” he whispered against Liz’s temple.

Liz turned to find Nathan and Arissa in the crowd apparently saying their goodbyes. She turned to look at Tess. “It looks like the celebration is coming to an end.”

This time Tess looked at the couple and nodded. “Okay, time to go get my osizigos so that we can all give them a proper sending off.”

************************************************************

It was hours later when the Aristomache mansion and it’s grounds were finally emptied out of all of the guests. Only Tess, Kyle, Olivia, Isabel, and Alex remained behind. Rena had already retired to bed, not in any mood to deal with Olivia once more.

And they had all seen Nathan and Arissa off to a week long honeymoon in the Greek Islands. Of course, they had gone with a full entourage of guards, but that hadn’t bothered the two newlyweds in the least. As they had gotten into the limo that would take them to the special jet reserved for such travel purposes, they had only had eyes for each other.

“Well, if that was the last of it Max, then I shall be taking my family home for the night,” said Kyle as he walked out behind the Aristomache and Euphranor Archigos.

Alex nodded. “Yes, I second that statement.”

Max grinned at both of them. “That was the last of it my friends. It is indeed time for all of us to call it a night. I think we all deserve it at this point.”

Isabel chuckled. “Liz, I think someone isn’t so upset about having a nearly empty house as he’d like us to believe.”

Max gave her an innocent look. “What are you talking about?”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “Oh here we go. Come on meli, let’s get the show on the road.” He took Tess’ hand and motioned to his youngest daughter who sat moping at the bottom of the stairs. “Olivia! Now!”

She huffed and pushed herself up from the stairs before sluggishly moving to her parents side. Tess looked at Liz and Isabel and mumbled, “Punishment I tell you!”

Isabel and Liz could only watch in faint amusement as Tess and Kyle each took one of Olivia’s arms and marched her out of the house into the waiting car. As soon as they were gone, Alex and Isabel took their leave with Liz and Max wishing them luck with Caiden and his issues.

When the Whitman’s car cleared the front gates, Max closed the door and swept his isyzygos into his arms.

“I thought they would never leave!” He growled against her neck.

She giggled. “Max! Our son just got married and left on his honeymoon with our new daughter-in-law and all you can say is that you couldn’t wait for everyone to leave!”

“Isabel had the right of it. We have a nearly empty house. Why wouldn’t I want to take advantage of that?”

“It’s not exactly empty. Rena is in her room.”

“Yes and she’ll stay there until the sun sets again,” he replied as he nuzzled her neck. Turning towards the back of the house he whispered in her ear. “What do you say we take advantage of this nearly empty house and go for a swim in the nude?”

************************************************************

Liz sighed as the water caressed her bare skin. She was now glad she’d let Max talk her into going for a leisurely swim in their pool. After playfully wrestling with him for a bit and letting him win, she’d waited until he had gone to make sure Rena was going to remain in her room for the rest of the night without disturbing them.

When Max had returned, he’d simply given her a wicked grin and waved his hands over both of them removing all traces of clothing before taking her hand and leading her into the pool. The moment the water reached their waists, Max pulled her into his arms and began devouring her lips.

Together they kissed, touched, and moaned against each other until even the water seemed to heat up around them. Then Max had suddenly pulled away and touched her cheek tenderly. “I think we need to slow down agapo mou. We still have a couple of more hours to enjoy before we have to go inside.”

Still, she’d known how hard it was for him to tear himself away from her. It had been just as hard as it was for her to not reach out to him and pull him back for more. That had been about an hour ago.

For the last hour they had managed to just enjoy swimming, floating, and splashing around in the water while they talked about their friends, family, and what they still wanted in their own future. Both of them had agreed that despite the fact that they were enjoying their nearly empty home, they hoped to fill it up again soon.

They had only had Rena for sixty-six years, but they were more than ready to have more children. After all Max was four hundred and fifty-one to Liz’s one hundred and fifty-six which made them both about thirty-three in human years.

Since they were still technically in the childbearing years, they weren’t anywhere near completing their family. Unfortunately, they knew just how finicky their race’s genetics were so it was anyone’s guess when Liz would become pregnant again. Still, both of them enjoyed the process of trying to create another child every chance they got.

As she continued to float on the surface of the water, gazing up at the sky, she could feel Max watching her from his seat on the submerged steps at the end of the pool nearest the house. Slowly, she lowered her body into the water and looked at her osizigos reclining against the steps watching her through hooded eyes.

Make up your mind
Decide to walk with me

She gave him a sultry smile as she swam slowly towards him until she was close enough to reach out and curl her fingers around his knees. He gave her a sexy smirk as she used her hands to crawl up his body until she was lying over him. With her face so close to his, she could feel his breath mingling with hers.

Around the lake tonight
Around the lake tonight

She looked up into his molten gold eyes and licked her lips, smiling as she watched his eyes grow darker. She lowered her lips to his achingly slowly until she finally kissed him. He let out a growl of satisfaction as her lips deepened the kiss and his arms wrapped around her, pinning her to his body.

By my side
By my side

Liz ran her hands up his chest, raking her nails over his nipples making him hiss into her mouth. She removed her lips from his and began to nip the skin along his jaw and down his neck until she licked just above his pulse making him shudder in anticipation. Still, she continued to tease him as she licked and nipped down his shoulder to his shoulder blade.

I'm not gonna lie
I'll not be a gentleman
Behind the boathouse
I'll show you my dark secret

Max gripped her hips in his hands and tried to ease her down onto him, but she resisted. Instead, she simply brushed her heat against his groin again and again, making him growl in frustration.

I'm not gonna lie
I want you for mine
My blushing bride
My lover, be my lover, yeah...

She made her way back up to his neck and sucked on his skin intending to leave a mark there. Max growled in protest at what she was doing, wanting her to suck more than his skin. He used his connection to her to make her understand what he wanted from her.

Don't be afraid
I didn't mean to scare you
So help me, Jesus

She knew what he wanted, but she was enjoying teasing him and pushing his limits. Still, she knew she’d pushed far enough when she heard the lowest growl he’d emitted yet. This one came more from his chest than his throat and it was the kind of growl he only gave when his patience had nearly ran out.

I can promise you
You'll stay as beautiful
With dark hair
And soft skin...forever

That growl and the fact that his claws were now digging into her hips were all the sign she needed to know he’d had enough of their foreplay. So, without further prompting, Liz sank her teeth into his neck and drank deep.

Make up your mind
Make up your mind

Max threw his head back as his eyes rolled back and he impaled Liz on his shaft with one swift move. Through the moans and euphoria he was currently feeling, he forced his body to roll over until he had her pinned beneath him. Grunting in satisfaction, he began to thrust into her hot depths in time with her feeding at his neck.

And I'll promise you
I will treat you well
My sweet angel
So help me, Jesus

A few strokes later and he was crying out her name as he released himself into her body while she continued to milk him of both blood and seed. When he felt her lick his wound closed, he rolled them back over allowing her to ride him at her leisure. He lay there for a few moments, getting his strength back and admiring the way she looked as she pleasured herself on his body.

Give it up to me
Give it up to me

Lifting his hands, he caressed her skin from her hips to her breasts ending with teasing her nipples with his thumbs. Liz leaned back slightly using her nails in his sides to anchor herself. He watched as she parted her lips and panted in time to the movements of her hips over his.

Do you wanna be
My angel?
So help me!

He lowered his hands to her hips again and sat up slowly until his mouth latched onto her breast. She moaned as she lifted her hands to his shoulders and continued to ride him with his hands on her hips helping her also.

Be my angel
Be my angel

Max laved one nipple with his tongue and teased it with his teeth before moving to the other one and repeating the motions. Taking more of her breast into his mouth, he could feel her hands in his hair, urging him on. Finally, he gave her what she needed as he sank his fangs into her breast and drank a few drops.

Do you wanna die?

That was all she needed to send her careening over the edge, his name a breathless cry to the sky. She was still in the throes of ecstasy after Max had licked the wound closed and leaned back to gaze up at her passion clouded gaze.

I promise you
I will treat you well
My sweet angel
So help me, Jesus

The moment he knew she was coming down from her high, he wrapped his arms tighter around her and willed them to their bedroom where he used his powers to dry them off and settle them into bed. As his skin began to tickle, he knew they had managed to finish not a moment to soon as the sun began to rise to a new day.

Liz sighed against his chest in contentment. “I guess I can understand why you love moments like these. I can’t imagine never feeling what I feel when I’m in your arms.”

Max smiled against her hair. “The thought of never being able to be with you like this again is enough to send me to an early grave.”

He could feel her smile against his chest and in his mind.

“S’agapo, syndeo mou.”

She replied just as she began to drift off to sleep. “Ya panda, syndeo mou. ”

TBC...

song is Possum Kingdom by Toadies

new Greek words
simfono - agree
timo - honor
thromo - way
toos - them
thino - give
pandria - marriage
afti - these
thio - two
anthropi - people
simera - today
efloyia - blessing
ton - their
toteh - then
kalos ilthateh - welcome
prota - prime (female)

***There is a part in Italics that is supposed to be Liz speaking in Greek***

Part 44

*Nearly 51 years later*

Rena twisted her hands in her lap as she frowned down at them. Anyone could clearly see how agitated she was just from the look on her face. She was on the verge of worrying herself to death when she felt the brush in her mind.

Glancing up, the frown disappeared and was quickly replaced with a smile. As she launched herself from the bench, the smile sparkled in her deep brown eyes and laughter bubbled up from her chest.

“Quinn! What took you so long! I was beginning to get worried!”

Quinn opened his arms, waiting until she was enveloped in them before he spoke. “Sorry, I was enjoying the view.”

Rena tilted her head back and quirked an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

As soon as the sly smile spread over his lips, making his eyes sparkle like the jewels they imitated, Rena rolled her eyes and playfully smacked his chest.

“Quinn! You are such a guy! You could have told me you’ve been here all along! You know how worried I am.”

Quinn sighed and cupped her cheek in his hand. “Rena, I still think I should go with you when you tell them.”

Rena shook her head. “No. Bad idea. I know my dad and as soon as I tell him what we’ve done, he’s going to want to incinerate you and imprison me. You know my dad still likes to think of me as his little girl, even if I am one hundred and seventeen years old!”

Quinn sighed. “Your brother was younger than you were when he began to date Arissa and they weren’t even one another’s omologia.”

“I know, which means dad’s going to take this a whole lot harder than he took Nathan’s relationship with Arissa. Once I tell him you and I are already bonded, he’s not going to want to hear anything else. I’m just hoping mom will still be the calm one she’s been known to be.”

“Well, you know I’m just a thought away if you need me, right?”

She tilted her head back and smiled. “Yes, agapo mou, I know.”

Quinn returned her smile as he lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. The kiss quickly became heated as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer. Quinn was always willing to give his omologia exactly what she wanted, so he obliged her and slid his arms around her waist.

Neither one of them cared that they were in the middle of an occupied park where others could see. It really didn’t matter. Most people simply walked by them and smiled at the two eighteen years olds who clearly looked like they were in love.

************************************************************

Rena walked into the house as her speech roamed round and round in her mind. Despite the fact that she had told Quinn that she needed to do this on her own, she was still nervous about it. Still, she knew it had to be done.

I’m here if you need me, came her omologia’s voice.

I know you are, but please let me do the talking. Don’t distract me Quinn!

You know, normally you love my distractions!

Yes, but not now! This is important, agapo mou!

He sighed in her mind. I know it is, akribos. I will retire now. But remember if you need me…

I will call you. Iposkhomeh. She could feel Quinn fading into the back of her mind as she continued her walk through the house.

Unlike her brother before her, Rena was bonded to her mate and now they were ready to take the next step. They wanted to become each others syndeo. But to do that, their relationship had to be made public. She knew that her father would like it once he had gotten over his anger, but that was the problem. He was going to be angry and hurt for a while before he would return to his senses. Rena knew just how well he was going to take losing his precious daughter.

She walked down the hall until she reached her father’s office. The door was slightly ajar and she could hear voices within. Taking a deep breath and readying herself for the confrontation, she hesitantly knocked on the door before peaking in.

As she did, she saw her parents leaning against the desk with their arms around each other. It didn’t take a saint to know exactly what they had been doing. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she mentally told herself at least this means they will be in a good mood.

Max turned his head and smiled at her. “Hey Rena, come on in.”

As he said that, he stepped back and sat in his chair and Liz moved to sit on the corner of his desk. Rena walked into the office, shutting the door behind her before she moved to stand in front of her father’s desk.

“So, what can I do for you, meli?” asked Max with a smile.

Rena shook her head. “I just need to talk to you two about something.”

Liz gave her a worried look. “Are you okay?”

Rena smiled. “Yes, in fact I’ve never been better.”

Max and Liz looked at each other for a moment before they looked back at their daughter. “Rena? What’s this about?” prodded Max.

The smile faltered slightly, but Rena stood her ground. Looking from her father to her mother and back again, she took a deep breath and got right to the heart of the matter.

“I wanted to tell you that I’ve found my mate. We’re omologia and Quinn and I now want to become syndeo.”

It took only a split second for that to register in their minds. The moment it did, Max leaped up from his chair with a roar. “You what!”

Liz quickly moved in front of him, placing placating hands on his chest as she looked at her daughter over her shoulder. “Rena, don’t be so hasty! Just because you just met your omologia doesn’t mean you have to jump right into being syndeo!”

Rena sighed as she shook her head. “No, Quinn and I have been omologia for a few years now, but I’ve known him for longer than that.”

Max curled his hands into fists. “And we are just finding out about this now! What is wrong with you koritsi!”

“Dad, I realize this is a shock, but you know what it’s like to be bonded. Quinn and I had no choice! You know how strong the call is!”

Max growled. “You are too young to be thinking of becoming syndeo! How old is this Quinn? Did he force this on you!”

“No! Quinn would never do that! And I am older than Nathan was when he started his relationship with Arissa!”

“That’s different!”

“Why? Because he’s a boy? That’s not fair dad!”

“I don’t care what you think!” yelled Max. “You are too young to be doing this!”

Rena turned pleading eyes on her mother. “Mom! Make him understand that I can’t do anything about this. Don’t you see? I am already bonded to him!”

Max roared once more before he turned to leap towards the door. Liz caught him by the arms and held him down. “Max! She’s right, she’s already gone and bonded herself to the boy. You know if you kill him, you doom her to a life of grief, if she lives that long! Is that what you really want? Half of a daughter?”

Max froze at those words, but continued to glare at the door. Liz brushed against his mind. Let’s hear her out Max. She has already said she’s known him for a while and they didn’t bond to each other right away. Why don’t we just hear what she has to say before we make any judgments, okay?

Max finally stopped glaring at the wall. With a defeated sigh, he turned to look at his daughter. “Start from the beginning. Where the hell did you meet this boy?”

Rena frowned. “I met Quinn,” she began with emphasis on his name, “at the reception for Nathan and Arissa.”

As her parents eyes went wide, she continued. “But I was too young to recognize what happened between us. I was just going to find Michael and tripped. When he helped me up, we both felt the surge of electricity between us, but didn’t do anything about it. He told me his name was Quinn and then we parted ways.

I didn’t see him again until a few years later when I was seventy-seven. Mom had gone to see Tess and she dragged me along with her even though she knew Olivia and I were at odds with each other again. Quinn just happened to be at the Akakios mansion visiting with his uncle when we went there with Tess.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “Who is his uncle?”

“Talos.”

Max’s eyes went wide. “The Akakios Archigos!”

“Yes. Quinn was visiting him and I ran into him there. This time he came and talked to me, keeping me company while the adults talked. It was then that we both realized what that surge of electricity meant because it happened again. Still, we didn’t rush anything. We both wanted to get to know each other before we bonded.”

“And now you know him,” growled Max.

Rena lifted her chin. “Yes. Now I know him and now I want to be his syndeo.”

Max began growling again. Liz reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to give him a sense of calm. But Max never took his eyes away from his daughter. Rena stood her ground as she watched his eyes turn molten gold and his claws flexing and curling into fists over and over again.

His eyes began to glow red as his growling got louder and louder until he began to snarl at her. All the while Liz kept her hand on his shoulder, moving it down to his arm and curling her fingers around it as if trying to prevent him from leaving her side.

Finally she gently whispered his name, “Max.”

Max whipped his head around and hissed at her which immediately raised her hackles. As her eyes turned inky black, she bared her own fangs and hissed back at him before snapping at him in Greek.

“Don’t you dare hiss at me Max! Stop being so stubborn and listen to Rena! They’ve obviously thought this thing through. And you know as well as I do that you can’t stop this from happening! They are already bonded! God Max! After everything you once told me so long ago you have the audacity to stand here and forbid her this!”

Max replied back in English. “That was different! I had waited centuries for you!”

Liz glared at him. “Yes, but at least Quinn gave her a choice. A choice I never had.”

The moment those words were spoken, the wind went out of Max’s rage. Rena watched as her father went from an intimidating, angry vampire to a man who looked like he’d just gotten the worst news of his life.

“Liz,” he breathed.

She shook her head. “This isn’t about us Max. It’s about Rena and Quinn. Let’s just focus on them right now, okay?”

He nodded and slowly turned to look at Rena. This time she could see the sadness in his eyes. “How long have you been his omologia?”

“A little over ten years.”

Max closed his eyes at that. “Ten years.”

Liz sighed as she curled her arm around his waist and looked at Rena. “Does his family know?”

Rena shook her head. “We wanted to tell you two first before we told anyone else. Quinn knows how much this would affect dad.”

“Is he with you now?” asked Max.

Rena looked at her father before tapping her temple. “Yes, but he’s letting me handle this like I asked him to.”

Max frowned as he looked to Liz. “Am I that predictable?”

Liz rolled her eyes. “Only when it comes to your family, but most especially Rena and I.”

Max smiled at that, looking at Liz for a few more moments before turning to look at his daughter. “Well, I guess I’m just going to have to learn to like the boy huh?”

“Dad…”

He nodded. “I know, I know. Just let me get used to this, okay Rena? Bonded or no, I don’t think I’m going to like him very much for a while.”

Rena turned another pleading look to her mother.

Liz shrugged. “Don’t look at me. At least he’s going to resign himself to the fact that we’ve already lost you to Quinn. Just accept that and let your father come to terms on his own.”

“But we want to become syndeo. How can we do that if you won’t accept him?”

“There’s still his family to tell. Then the families have to meet each other and start the process of helping you two start your own family. That takes time Rena. Hopefully by the time we get to the day you become his syndeo, your father will have made his peace with this.”

Rena sighed. She knew her mother was right. It would be a while before she and Quinn actually took the next step. “Okay, I understand.”

Max gave her a sympathetic smile. “S’agapo Rena. No matter what, I will always love you.”

She nodded as she walked into his open arms and hugged him. “S’agapo episis, pateras.”

************************************************************

“Just who are these people!” shouted Liz as she took shelter behind the remains of a wall in the middle of what was the current war zone between humans and vampires.

It had been a trap of sorts. Somehow a group of humans had found out that vampires existed and had managed to track down a few of them. After finding out when there would be a huge gathering of vampires, the humans staged an attack.

It was at the ball celebrating the coming joining of Rena and Quinn where the attack was made. Without warning, a fierce wind had risen and other strange things started happening. As everyone rushed for cover, the warriors who were there sprang into action. This time, even Liz was needed to keep the younger ones from getting caught by flying debris and the like.

Michael appeared at her side as Max came behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Nate has Rissa, Rena, and Quinn with Talos and his family. Kyle got his family into the house as soon as the wind started throwing things,” reported Michael.

Max nodded. “Alex says he and Isabel are safe with Vanessa, Aidan and the rest of the Irinikos and Euphranor coven members near the rear of the house.”

Liz turned to look at him with a frown. “What is going on Max?”

Darrius peaked over the edge of the wall as he looked at the things flying around. Before Max could answer he said, “Magic.”

All eyes turned to look at Darrius as he elaborated. “Whoever it is, is using magic. That’s why the wind came up out of nowhere and lightning has struck the ground close by. They’re controlling the elements.”

Michael beamed at his seventy-nine year old son. For a vampire with the maturity of a sixteen year old, he was a very perceptive one. “He’s right. They have to be using magic. Those lightning strikes are hitting at particular targets, it’s not random at all.”

Max nodded his agreement. “Yes, so that begs the questions. Who exactly is it using magic and why.”

Liz gritted her teeth. “Well I guess we’ll just have to go and find out ourselves won’t we? At least we know they are human.”

“They could be using that scent to throw us off,” said one of the other boys who had been with Darrius before the attack started.

Michael shook his head. “No. No self respecting vampire would use magic to fight another vampire. Since we already have our own powers why do we need magic to fight each other?”

“They’re not as strong?” piped up a younger girl.

Liz shook her head. “I think I agree with Michael. Even if I wasn’t as strong, I’d still want to fight with what I already have. Besides,” she turned to look at Max for confirmation. “The human scent is too strong and too numerous to just be a cover.”

Max nodded as his eyes beamed at his isyzygos. “Yes, that’s true.”

Michael nodded. “Okay then, let’s see if we can expose them and be done with it. I’ll start connecting with the other Dioikitis that are here while you connect with the Archigos.”

“Good,” replied Max before leaning in to Liz. “Get these kids inside? Connect with Kyle and Tess and they will lead you to where they are.”

“Okay.”

Michael looked to his son. “Darrius, give Liz any help she needs in transporting all of you to safety, okay?”

“Of course, pateras.”

As Max and Michael disappeared once more, Liz turned to Darrius and held out her hand. He quickly took her hand and began channeling his strength to her. As her power built, she motioned for the other children to come in closer and join hands. As soon as they all were ready, she reached out for Tess and Kyle.

The Valentis were already waiting for her call and immediately sent her their location. Liz didn’t waste any more time as she willed them all into the house and the safety of the others waiting there. As soon as they all appeared, Liz let go of her powers and slumped to the ground. Luckily, Darrius still held her hand and that prevented her from falling before Kyle had the chance to scoop her up in his arms.

It took a few moments before she regained her balance. By that time, Darrius and his friend had already ushered the younger kids into the other room where Tess and Olivia waited. As she and Kyle made their way into the well protected room, Liz felt the first impact to Max.

Kyle was aware of her quiet gasp and the way she went still. Reaching out to her, he whispered her name to keep from alarming the others. She didn’t immediately respond to him as he watched her eyes become unfocused and become paler than she normally was.

“Liz?” he asked a little louder.

“Max! No, Max!” Liz whirled around and made to go out of the door, but Kyle stopped her. “Let go of me, Kyle!”

“Liz! You can’t go out there! Max told me to…”

“I know what he told you Kyle! I share his mind remember! Theos, he’s been hit with magic! Do you understand what that means? They are trying to render him powerless! And I am the only one who can help strengthen his powers!”

Tess walked up to them and pulled Kyle’s hand away from Liz. “She’s right. She has to go even if Max doesn’t want her there, she has to go.”

Kyle turned to look into his syndeo’s eyes and realized what she said was true. Liz would help Max no matter what. That’s just the way the bond worked. He finally nodded as he turned back to Liz.

“Be careful.”

Liz gave him a nod as she quickly disappeared from the room.

And reappeared right next to Max who was bent over in pain. Michael stood next to him, using his powers to hold a makeshift shield of a slab of cement to keep the debris the magic users kept trying to hurl at them. Liz leaned over Max who seemed to be covered in white currents of electricity and reached out to touch him.

“Don’t!” came Nathan’s command as he appeared next to his mother. “He was hit with one of those lightning bolts, but instead of becoming instant ash like we think they expected us to, he’s fighting it off.”

Liz frowned. “How?”

Michael growled. “How do you think? He’s tied to you. Do you really think Max is going to die and leave you behind? Not a chance in hell.”

“Michael, if Max dies so do I!”

“Not if I can help it,” growled Max through gritted teeth.

Liz leaned towards him. “What can I do to help?”

Max raised his eyes to hers. “Go back to the house.”

I believe in you and me
I'm coming to find you
If it takes me all night

“Oh no you don’t Max Evans! I know you can use my strength! Now tell me what to do!”

Wrong until you make it right
And I won't forget you
At least I'll try

Max continued to spasm in pain as he refused to answer her. Nathan looked from his father to his mother and back again. “Theos pateras! Swallow your damned pride and tell her how to help you!”

And run, and run tonight

Max sent a glare his son’s way before hissing at Liz. “I’m trying to force the energy into the ground. Link with me and think of pushing the electricity into the ground.”

Everything will be alright

Liz nodded and closed her eyes focusing on linking with him. Once she could feel him touching her mind, she began to imagine seeing those currents of electricity flowing off of Max and disappearing into the ground. After a few long minutes, she could feel Max loosening his hold on her so she opened her eyes and saw that he was no longer covered in electric currents.

Everything will be alright

He remained sitting on the ground trying to get his breathing back to normal, so Liz moved to sit next to him and leaned close. She slid her arms around his waist to give him more of her strength. Max leaned against her and closed his eyes, gratefully accepting what she gave him.

Everything will be alright

Not even a few seconds later, they both heard Michael curse loudly. And as they turned in his direction, they saw the slab of cement he’d been holding up as a shield shatter into millions of pieces and go sailing through the air. Michael ran for cover even as Nathan used his own powers to deflect some of the pieces from Max and Liz.

Everything will be alright

As Max joined Nathan in deflecting the debris, a purple streak of light came shooting out of the darkness straight for Max. Liz cried out his name even as she willed herself to his side and pushed him out of the way. Too late, she tried to duck out of the way, but the purple light crashed into her sending her tumbling to the ground writhing in pain.

I wasn't shopping for a doll
To say the least, I thought I've seen them all
But then you took me by surprise
I'm dreaming bout those dreamy eyes
I never knew, I never knew

Max roared his anger as he stumbled to her side and knelt down besides her. As Nathan continued to deflect anything that came their way, Michael appeared to kneel on the other side of Liz. Her eyes were wide with pain and shock as she stared up at Max helplessly while the purple light seemed to envelop her.

So take your suitcase, cause I don't mind
And baby doll, I meant it every time
You don't need to compromise
I'm dreaming bout those dreamy eyes
I never knew, I never knew

Max reached out to touch her only to come up against a force of some kind. The shock of if it knocked him on his back, but he was quickly on his knees again and bent over her.

But it's alright...

“Liz! Reach out to me! I can’t help you unless you reach out to my mind first! Come on moro! Let me help you!”

Everything will be alright

“I-I’m t-trying!” came her pain wracked voice.

Everything will be alright

Max roared his anger at being helpless to protect her when suddenly the purple light faded away. As soon as it did, Liz’s eyes rolled back in her head and her body went limp.

Everything will be alright

“Liz?” Max hesitantly reached out to touch her again. This time nothing prevented him from taking her into his arms as he gently shook her. “Liz, come on moro, open your eyes.”

Everything will be alright

When there was no response, Max reached into her mind. A second later he opened panicked eyes onto his Dioikitis. “Something’s wrong.”

Michael frowned. “You need to get her to safety. Take her and find out what’s wrong.”

Max shook his head. “I have to fight…”

“Dad!” came Nathan’s shout from where he was still fighting off the magic. “We all know that if something’s wrong with mom then you are sure to follow. You won’t be of any use to us out here! Get her inside and help her! Michael and I can fight with the help of the other warriors!”

Max pursed his lips as Michael nodded. “Nathan’s right. You have to go with her. I will stay and fight. And Max, you have to trust your son to do what he has to do for the good of our coven. Let him put all that we’ve taught him to good use now.”

“Fine! Nathan, you’re in charge. Michael, guard my son with your life!”

“Of course, Kyrios.”

Without another word, Max willed both himself and Liz into the house where the others were waiting in safety.

************************************************************

Max sat next to Liz holding her hand. For the last few hours he’d been going in and trying to connect to her mind, but wasn’t having any luck. Something was shielding her. That was the only way he could describe it. It felt almost like some sort of barrier had been erected in her mind to protect it from outside harm. Still, it shouldn’t be protecting her from him.

With another tired sigh, he closed his eyes and once more dropped into her mind to work at getting past that shield. He moved down until he found the place where he’d been steadily chipping away. Once more he pressed against the indention and added more force. This time, it only took a couple of minutes before the wall suddenly gave way.

As it did, he was instantly hit with the sound of her voice. Max! You will never guess what has happened!

His eyes flew open as he stared down into her now opened eyes. The moment he did, their connection flared back to life and he knew exactly what it was that had happened.

“Oh Theos!” he whispered in shock. “Liz!”

Before either of them had a chance to say anything else, there was a knock on the door. Max looked up just as the door opened and Michael walked in with Nathan behind him. As soon as Nathan saw that his mother was awake, he grinned.

“Oh thank Theos! Everyone is going to be glad to hear that you’re okay.”

As he turned to go back out, Max held up his hand and the door slammed shut. “Wait!”

Michael had moved to the side of the couch that Liz was reclining on where he now frowned at Max. “What’s wrong?”

Max shook his head. “Before we go shouting to the others that Liz is alright, I want to know what happened out there.”

Michael scowled. “While Nate and I held the humans off, some of our kind were able to sneak up on them from behind and capture them. There were only ten of them! But they were good. Said they only wanted to know if they were strong enough with their powers. They’d heard rumors that vampires existed and decided to see if we were real and if we were, they wanted to see if they could stand up to us.”

Nathan nodded. “The leader quickly surrendered once he knew they’d been outsmarted. He and the others have agreed to become initiated humans and want to help keep the peace by using their magic for us.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “And they expect us to just forgive and forget? They attacked us! Some of us could have died!”

“Yes and we made certain they understood that,” answered Michael.

“Talos, Alex, and the other Archigos who were there informed them that they would not be getting off so lightly for what they had done. Plus, they were told about you and mom. That’s why I was in a hurry to tell them she’s okay. We were holding the humans until we found out what happened to her.”

Max turned to look at Liz for a moment and they shared a silent look. Finally Max smiled at Michael and Nathan. “Liz is pregnant again.”

Michael’s answer was a swift intake of breath.

Nathan was the vocal one. “What! She was out there fighting while pregnant!”

Max nodded. “Yes, we didn’t know then. We just found out right before you two walked in. Well, I did at least.”

“Is that why you passed out?” asked Michael.

“Sort of,” replied Liz. “The magic was supposed to just paralyze me, but instead somehow the power was absorbed by the twins. It didn’t harm them, but it was enough to make me black out.”

Max nodded. “When I told you something was wrong, it was because I couldn’t connect with her mind. There was something shielding her mind from me and I couldn’t break through. It took me awhile, but I had just broken through right before you came in.”

“It was the twins. They threw up that shield to protect me and I was trying to reason with them to take it down and let Max in. They were just on the verge of doing that when Max managed to get through himself.”

“As soon as I got in, she was there waiting for me. As soon as we connected I knew what had happened. And I can feel them there.” He turned to smile at Liz. “A boy and a girl.”

Liz nodded. “Yes, Stavros and Tiegra.”

Michael and Nathan stared at the two of them with jaws hanging open.

“How is that possible?” asked Nathan.

“How can you know what they are and what you are going to call them?” added Michael.

Liz chuckled. “Because they told us.”

Neither Michael nor Nathan knew what else to say. They were still lost as to how any of this was possible.

************************************************************

Less than an hour later, Michael and Nathan weren’t the only ones who were stunned into silence. As the news got out about what had happened to Liz and the twins she carried, Max and Liz had been escorted back to their home where Liz promptly went to bed to rest.

Other family members came and went to see for themselves that they were okay. Even Quinn accompanied Rena to see her mother despite the fact that Max still grunted and bristled over having his daughter’s omologia anywhere near him. Once Max left Liz resting in their bedroom, he joined the others in the large living room where he once more explained exactly what had happened.

“So, does this mean that the twins will have powers other than the ones that come naturally with being born of our kind?” asked Kyle.

Max shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is that they were able to siphon the magic that nearly paralyzed Liz. It could have just been a one time thing and now that the power has been used, everything’s normal again. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

“I think it’s because it’s twins,” interjected Quinn. “There’s always that superstition that human twins have these abilities that make them different from other humans. Maybe that goes double for our kind.”

Max scowled at him. “Let’s not start labeling my kids as freaks before they’re even born okay?”

“Dad, Quinn wasn’t calling them freaks…”

“I know what he was saying Rena,” Max snapped.

Max Evans don’t make me get out of this bed! came Liz’s reprimand in his head.

Max’s scowl deepened. “I think I’m going to call it a night and go join my isyzygos in bed.”

Just as he was about to leave, the doors to the living room flew open as a wailing Olivia flew into her father’s arms.

Kyle frowned down at his daughter. “Olivia? What has happened moro?”

She turned teary eyes up at her father. “It’s Caiden!” she wailed.

Tess rolled her eyes as she stepped up to them. “What about him?”

“He’s returned,” announced Isabel as she walked into the room. Behind her and Alex came a much older Caiden than the teen that had gone to Europe all those years ago. Now at one hundred and seventy-five years old with the physical appearance of a healthy twenty year old, Caiden walked into the room with a confidant, yet relaxed air that hadn’t been apparent before.

And it didn’t take much to see that most of his calm demeanor could be credited to the eighteen year old human woman who walked in on his arm.

Alex made the introductions. “Everyone, meet Natalie, Caiden’s omologia. She has returned with him from Europe so that she could meet the family before Caiden converts her so that they may become syndeo to each other.”

Once more Olivia wailed up at her father, in a voice eerily reminiscent of Tess so long ago. ““Afti ineh anthropinos!”

Tess glared at Kyle silently warning him not to oblige her as she grabbed her daughter by the arm. Glancing at Caiden and Natalie she said, “I will apologize for my daughter’s rudeness and take us out of here before she can cause any more damage. Caiden, welcome home. Natalie, welcome to our family.”

With that, she and Olivia disappeared from sight. Kyle sighed as he nodded to the newcomers. “Welcome home both of you.”

As soon as he’d disappeared, the others turned back to Caiden and Natalie with questions and welcomes of their own.

TBC...

Song is Everything Will Be Alright by The Killers

new Greek word
koritsi - girl

Part 45

Max sat in his chair bouncing his one year old daughter on his knees. She giggled happily as she gazed up at him with her golden eyes. He grinned at her as he felt her mind brush against his, sending him an image of her bouncing higher. He obliged her without even flinching at how easily she made her wants known to him.

At first, right after she and her twin brother had been born, it had shocked both Max and Liz to find that the twins could communicate so easily with their thoughts. Granted, it was just images they used and not words. Still, it was a shock to have even that. And when they found out that it wasn’t just their parents whom they could send images too, the twins were suddenly kept away from anyone they felt would endanger them.

As infants, vampires weren’t supposed to have powers at all. Their powers developed as they grew up and telepathy among even the most powerful vampires was limited. So, to find out that the infants Tiegra and Stavros could communicate with anyone they came into contact with through telepathy, sent all of those concerned with their safety into panic mode.

And that wasn’t the only thing that set the twins apart from everyone else. They also had enough power to will small objects into their hands if they chose to do it. That had been discovered by Nathan when he’d been holding his baby brother in his arms as Liz had gone to change Tiegra. Stavros had simply reached out his hand, spread his fingers, and his bottle had flown from across the room straight into his hand.

Then there was the look of them. Both Stavros and Tiegra seemed to have a perfect mix of their parents. Where Nathan resembled his father and Rena resembled her mother. The twins were the perfect mix. They had Max’s dark hair, jaw line structure, and cheekbone structure. Their nose, mouth, and eye shape came from Liz.

They were identical in every way except for their eyes. It was their eyes that was a glaring sign of just how different they were. Tiegra had golden eyes and Stavros had blue eyes, but they were still eerie in their looks. In normal mode, Max’s eyes were amber which helped him pass as human.

Tiegra’s eyes were never amber. Max’s eyes only turned molten gold when he was in vampire mode as Liz called it. Tiegra’s eyes were always golden. She had been born that way. But that wasn’t all. Not only were her eyes golden, but when she was in any other mood besides content, they tended to look much like cat eyes reflecting the light.

Stavros eyes were blue. Not the light blue of Tess’ or the darker blue of Kyle’s. Not even the sapphire of Quinn’s. Instead, his eyes were much, much lighter than Tess’ ever were. They were so light they almost looked clear and many people looking at him got the impression they were looking into the eyes of a blind person.

However, Stavros was far from being blind. So far that Liz had even commented on how she thought his eyes were meant to see things not even other vampires could see. It was comments like that and the things the twins did that made everyone realize just what that magic attack on Liz had done to the twins she’d been carrying. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the magic attack had clearly had an effect on the twins while they remained in their mother’s womb.

As Max continued to bounce Tiegra on his knee, Nathan and Arissa came over to join him. Arissa carried Stavros on her hip. The moment the twins caught sight of each other, they began giggling and reaching out to each other, waving tiny arms in the air.

Arissa laughed. “Stavros was missing his sister so Liz sent us over here with him.”

Max scowled as he held Tiegra closer to his body. “Why couldn’t she bring him herself?”

Arissa grimaced and looked to her osizigos for help. Nathan sighed as he took Stavros from her and placed him on his father’s other knee.

“Mom’s busy right now.”

“The joining celebration is over. What could she possibly be busy with?” he snapped.

Nathan resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his father’s growling. Everyone was well aware of how much Max didn’t want to like his eldest daughter’s new osizigos. That was why he was on the other side of the room occupying himself with his younger daughter. Max was extremely grateful he now had the twins to keep him occupied, otherwise he was sure he’d be scheming up ways to make Quinn miserable.

It had taken a little over a year to get things ready for Rena and Quinn to finally become syndeo to each other. Today marked the day that they completed the ritual. So the families had come together to celebrate the further joining of the Aristomache and Akakios covens despite the fact that both Quinn and Arissa were now a part of the Aristomache coven since their spouses were from higher ranks.

Rena had been right. The fact that Quinn had ties to the Archigos of the Akakios was one of the things that kept him in Max’s good graces. That and the fact that if Max did anything to hurt Quinn, he’d be hurting his own daughter too.

“She’s helping Tess deal with Olivia who is trying to create a scene between Caiden and Natalie.”

The scowl instantly left Max’s face, replaced by sympathy. “Is she still giving Natalie a hard time?”

Arissa nodded as she sat next to Max with Nathan sitting on the other side of her. “Caiden is ready to rip her to pieces for daring to harm his omologia. It’s taking Alex and Aidan to keep him from doing so. Natalie is holding her own against Olivia, much like Liz once did against Tess.”

Nathan chuckled. “Tess is not liking having her past thrown in her face like that, so Liz is trying to keep her from murdering her own daughter.”

Max arched an eyebrow. “Really? Where is Kyle in all this?”

Nathan’s grin widened. “He’s got his hands full with Felicia.”

Max laughed at that. He had no doubt poor Kyle had his hands full with his third daughter. Felicia had been born a few months after the twins and she’d come into the world with a very healthy set of lungs, putting even Olivia to shame. And she’d been putting those lungs to good use ever since.

Aside from the constant teasing Kyle got from everyone for now having three daughters and no sons, they also sympathized with him because it seemed each daughter that came got more dramatic than the last. Arissa was the least dramatic of them all and Max had an inkling that it had to do with the fact that she’d spent most of her life around Nathan and Caiden.

He looked at his daughter-in-law with a grin, as she gave Nathan a playful swat on his arm.

“Leave my dad alone, Nate!”

Nathan snickered. “Why? He rides me every chance he gets, now it’s my turn.”

“Oh for Theo’s sake! He does not!”

“Yes he does,” stated Nathan.

She narrowed her eyes. “Nathaniel Maxwell Evans, where exactly are you planning on sleeping tonight?”

At her words the grin faded from Nathan’s face as he sat straighter and cleared his throat. “I think I should go help Alex and Aidan with Caiden. You going to be okay with the twins dad?”

Max nodded as he settled his kids more comfortably against his thighs. “I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah he’ll be fine,” interjected Michael as he and Darrius came up to them.

“He’s got the two of us to play babysitter for him,” said Darrius as he took Tiegra into his arms when she reached out to him.

Darrius sat down in the chair Arissa had just vacated so that Tiegra could still be close to her twin while Michael took the seat on the other side of Max and made funny faces at Stavros.

Nathan chuckled as he walked over to the twins and ruffled their hair. “Okay then, I’ll leave dad and the twins in your protection.” Holding out his hand to Arissa he added, “Want to come help me, moro?”

Arissa smiled. “Oh yes, nothing like a good family drama to make me smile.”

Max chuckled as he watched the two of them walk off hand in hand, laughing amongst themselves. His smile slightly faded as he turned to see Darrius bouncing Tiegra on his knee and holding her close enough so that she could touch Stavros.

Bouncing Stavros on his own knee, he turned to give Michael a questioning look.

I thought Darrius was going to spend today with his mother.

Michael rolled his eyes. She said she wasn’t in the mood to be a mother today. Besides that, Darrius wasn’t thrilled to be spending time with her anyway. He’d been whining about it all week, knowing he was supposed to spend the weekend with her. Kept trying to talk me out of taking him to see her.

Max nodded. He knew how Darrius felt about Maria. Over the last eighty years since his birth, Maria had never once showed any inclination of wanting to be close to her son. Still, Michael had taken Darrius to see her almost every weekend hoping one day she’d warm up to him.

One day, she had suddenly seemed to be opening up to Darrius and Michael had been thrilled. Until he found out the only reason she was talking to Darrius was to make sure he understood what a mistake it would be for him to follow in his father’s footsteps. Thankfully Darrius had never listened to her complaints.

To this day, Michael was still being amazed by how mature his son was for being only sixteen by human maturity standards. Even Max was well aware of how mature and astute Darrius was for being a teenager. He knew it had a lot to do with the fact that Darrius adored his father and followed him around everywhere he went. Because of that, Darrius spent a lot of time observing Michael and anyone else he came into contact with.

Plus, Michael viewed the Aristomache as his family which was something he’d unconsciously instilled into his son. Darrius had willingly begun to think of Max, Liz, their family, and the rest of the Aristomache as his own family. It was his feelings for them and their feelings for him that kept Darrius from missing his own maternal mother too much.

Still despite all of that, Michael refused to keep mother and son away from each other. No matter how much each of them complained, he couldn’t bring himself to keep Darrius away from his mother.

Alex walked up to them wearing a scowl on his face. “Michael, I hate to do this to you, but would you mind lending a hand to Aidan? I need to get home to Isabel and Bianca.”

Michael turned to look at Max. “Do you mind?”

Max shook his head as Darrius replied, “I can stay and help him with the twins dad.”

Max grinned. “See, I got it covered.”

Michael nodded as he made his way across the room after Alex had said thanks.

Max gave Alex a sympathetic smile. “How are Izzy and the baby?”

Alex sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “Bianca’s fine of course. It’s Isabel I’m worried about. The birth was hard on her this time.”

Max nodded. He knew that was the truth. Isabel had been getting sick a lot during the last two months of her pregnancy and then the day and a half that it took her to have Bianca had nearly sapped every last bit of strength out of her. She’d slept for days afterwards and Alex had been besides himself over losing Isabel.

Now nearly five months after the birth, Isabel was up and walking around, but she still got tired easily. It was a miracle to Max that Alex had even shown up to Rena and Quinn’s celebration at all. Of course, Max knew it had to have been Isabel’s doing. Despite her being tired, she still could argue with the best of them and Alex had obviously lost the argument to stay home with her and Bianca.

“Well, then go on home to your isyzygos and kori.”

Alex nodded as he looked down at the twins with a smile. “They keeping you and Liz on your toes as usual?”

Max beamed down at the twins. “You know it.”

Alex laughed. “And yet you and Liz don’t look like you’ve lost much sleep. How do you two manage that?”

He shrugged. “They don’t cause mischief while we sleep. It’s only when we are all awake.”

Alex arched an eyebrow. “Wow! They really are magical aren’t they?”

Once more Max beamed at them. “Yeah, they most certainly are.”

Alex sighed as he walked over to them and placed a gentle hand on each small head. Both Stavros and Tiegra stopped gurgling to each other and looked up at Alex as if sensing he was going to say something serious.

Alex looked at them and spoke in a low voice. “Bianca will be the last one for us.”

Max frowned up at Alex. “Are you certain?”

He nodded and looked at Max. “Isabel and I have already talked about it. The yatros even said it would be too risky for her to have any more children, especially since she is now six hundred and nine, so as soon as she can, she’s going to have the operation.”

Max nodded. He knew the cut off years for having children was usually when a female vampire reached the human maturity age of forty. Since Isabel was technically forty-one, she’d already gone past that age. However, neither her nor Alex had really expected to have any more children after Caiden. Bianca had been a pleasant surprise to them both and it had been an eye opener.

They had realized that while most vampire biological clocks tended to just stop naturally, Isabel’s hadn’t. That was why she was going to go through with the surgery that would make sure she wouldn’t have any more children which would put her health and life at serious risk.

Still despite the fact that things were looking up for the vampire covens lately what with all the more frequent births and the way they seemed to be thriving, it was sad when a couple had to think of never having more children. Max couldn’t imagine what he’d be like when the day came that he and Liz would have to face that reality too.

For now, Liz was two hundred and eight, making her thirty-six in human years since she’d been turned when she was twenty-eight and aged one year for every twenty years after the first twenty. By that equation, she still had about eighty years left before it came to that.

“Well, I’ve got to get going.”

As Alex turned to leave, Max called out to him. “Say hello to the girls for me Alex. Liz and I will come around soon to see them.”

Alex threw him a grin over his shoulder. “I’ll tell them that. And Max? Try not to make Rena and Quinn too miserable okay? Especially not on their joining night.”

As Alex walked away with a smirk, Max scowled at his retreating back which prompted Darrius to hide his own smile. The twins however weren’t intimidated by their father in the least as they both erupted in giggles.

“Oh you think that’s funny do you?” said Max as he tried to glare at them but failed miserably. Their laughter was infectious.

His scowl disappeared quickly as he went back to showering them with all of his attention until Liz finally came to join them and Darrius went off in search of his father.

************************************************************

Olivia sat in her chair pouting. She just didn’t understand why no one was on her side. She wasn’t being mean like her mother kept yelling at her for being. She wasn’t trying to kill Natalie. Olivia had never had a cruel streak like that in her. She was just trying to show that the eighteen year old human had nothing on her.

After all, she was a one hundred and eighteen year old vampire which meant she was pretty powerful in her own right. Granted, she was no where near as strong as the older Arissa or even Rena who was the same age as her, but she was still strong. At least she thought she was strong enough for someone like Caiden.

So, when she’d tried to show Caiden just what he was passing up, she had been surprised at how angry he’d gotten at her for doing it. Natalie had simply dusted herself off and gotten up to go stand at Caiden’s side, using her soft voice to try to keep him from wringing Olivia’s neck.

At that point, others had arrived to come between her and Caiden. When her mother had started to yell at her right there in front of everyone, Olivia had tried to explain that she just wanted Caiden to know that an eighteen year old vampire was always going to be better than an eighteen year old human.

Her eyes had gone wide when Caiden had launched himself at her, claws and teeth bared in fury. Alex and Aidan had struggled hard to hold him back as Tess and Liz dragged her away from the scene. The last thing she’d seen before leaving the room was Natalie holding Caiden’s face in her hands as she’d whispered something to him. Whatever it was that she’d said had the immediate effect of calming him down instantly.

She’d pouted all the way into the hallway when she’d realized just how good the human was at calming Caiden down. She had wished she’d had that same effect on him for years. That was the only thought she had before her mother launched into a full out lecture right there in the hallway.

When all she’d done was whine about how she couldn’t understand why Caiden wasn’t hers, Tess had nearly taken her head off. Liz had to step in and try to calm Tess down before they both tried to talk some sense into Olivia. No matter what they had said to her, Olivia still felt she wasn’t being given a fair chance.

Finally, Tess and Liz had given up trying to talk to her and Caiden and Natalie had gone home leaving her alone to sulk. She didn’t understand why they all thought she and Caiden couldn’t have had something together. After all he wasn’t that much older than her at one hundred and seventy-six years.

In fact, she hated that everyone treated Nathan, Arissa, and Caiden who were all only at the human maturity of twenty years as if they were much older and wiser than that. Even Rena was being treated much better than that and she didn’t want to even think of how they were treating Darrius.

She kicked her foot against the leg of a nearby chair and mumbled under her breath. “It’s just not fair!”

“What’s not fair?” asked a voice that sounded happy despite the deep tone of it.

Olivia glanced up with a scowl that faded when she saw the man standing in front of her. Oh yeah, she thought to herself, he’s most definitely a man.

He gestured to the chair she’d just kicked. “Do you mind if I sit down?”

She shook her head. “Not all. Please do.”

She stared at him as he did. Noting the way his hazel eyes sparkled and the way his broad shoulders moved beneath his shirt. She almost licked her lips when she noticed the way that shirt barely seemed to hide his well defined muscular chest. The man seemed to be a Greek god with the laughing eyes of a mischief maker. And that deep baritone voice sent shivers down her spine when he spoke, inciting wicked images of the two of them tangled together.

They won't want you for who you are
So you should step outside your skin

He held out a hand as his eyes continued to sparkle at her. “I’m Jonathan of the Hilarion coven and you are?”

Something tells me, that we were meant to be
But how can that be?

She admired the way his arm muscles moved as he held out his hand to her before she responded to him. “Olivia of the Akakios coven,” she purred in return.

You run on evil, I run on fumes and stale air,
when she came out , she brought her anger, she left her sympathy
Behind the walls she built for me

He arched an eyebrow. “You related to the one whom this celebration was for then?”

So we start spinning

She reluctantly pulled her hand out of his as she sat back in her chair. “Quinn is a distant cousin. His mother and my mother’s mother are sisters.”

You wouldn't want to let us go easy
Or you just might become too weak to stop spinning

“I see, so you don’t know him that well then?”

You wouldn't want to let him down easy
Or he just might become the promise

She shrugged. “Not really no. My mom is just really close to Talos, the Archigos of the Akakios. Quinn is close to him too.”

I want you for who you are
So you can stay inside your skin

“So, that’s why you are here then? Because of your mom?”

Ohhhh something tells me love isn't enough
But how can that be?

“Rena, the one Quinn joined, was my best friend.”

You're not so evil, I'm not so good
Crazy or mean

The smile seemed to dim in his eyes. “Was?”

so we start spinning

“We drifted apart when she became Quinn’s omologia and she didn’t approve of my lifestyle.”

You wouldn't want to let us go easy
Or you just might become too weak to stop spinning

He quirked an eyebrow. “Interesting, you look too young to have had time to cultivate a lifestyle.”

You wouldn't want to let him down easy
Or he just might be come the threat

She rolled her eyes at that. “I’m one hundred and eighteen. How old are you?”

She's so dramatic she says I'm leaving, is that a promise or a threat?

“One hundred and sixty-two,” came his reply as he gave her an amused grin.

So we start spinning

Slowly, she sat up and looked into his eyes. He wasn’t that much younger than Caiden. In fact, in human years they were the exact same age, yet somehow the man who sat in front of her looked older than her crush.

You wouldn't want to let us go easy
Or you just might become too weak to stop spinning

“If that’s true then you are also too young to have had much of a lifestyle.”

You wouldn't want to let him down easy
Or he just might become, the one you want

He laughed as his eyes sparkled at her. “You got me there.”

I am the voice you'll never get

She leaned in closer, enjoying the way his eyes laughed at her and the way they glanced down at her lips.

I am the one

“So, why are you here?” she asked, in a sultry voice.

I am the promise and the threat.

************************************************************

Max smiled as he felt her hands roaming up his chest. Keeping his eyes closed, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down against him.

“They’re finally asleep?” he whispered.

She laughed against his neck. “Meli, they’ve been asleep for almost an hour.”

His eyes flew open at that as he turned to look at her. “Seriously?”

She nodded as she grinned at him. “I think they knew we wanted to be alone tonight, so they fell asleep quickly.”

He scowled. “Then why did it take you an hour to come to bed?”

Her eyes twinkled as she reached down between them and cupped him in her hand. “I wanted to make sure you were good and ready before I came to you.”

He groaned and closed his eyes as she began to stroke him with her hand. Laying his head back against the pillow, he lifted his hips to the rhythm of her stroking.

“Do you think I’m ready moro?” he asked in a husky voice.

She leaned down to press her lips against his. “Yes, agapo mou. And I am ready for you.”

She removed her hand and spread her legs to straddle him. As she sank down on him, taking him into her hot wet depths, he moaned at just how ready she really was for him. With no more spoken words, the two of them joined bodies, hearts, minds, and souls as they gave themselves up to the pleasure only syndeo could provide to each other.

TBC...

song is The Promise and the Threat by Evans Blue

*note* since I mentioned a lot of ages in this part, I thought I'd add the ones that I didn't...

Max- 503/36
Alex- 640/42
Tess- 503/36
Kyle- 301/26
Michael- 399/31
Maria- 495/35
Vanessa- 292/26
Aidan- 322/27

Song is Animals by Nickelback


Part 46

*31 years later*

I, I'm driving black on black
Just got my license back

“Yes! Oh yes Jonathan, harder baby!” yelled Olivia as she reached back and gripped his arm while he knelt behind her.

I got this feeling in my veins this train is coming off the track
I'll ask polite if the devil needs a ride
Because the angel on my right ain't hanging out with me tonight

She used her other hand to push against the headboard, effectively making her body move back against his own as he thrust harder and faster into her body.

I'm driving past your house while you were sneaking out
I got the car door opened up so you can jump in on the run

Jonathan groaned as he gripped her hips and pulled her back against him again and again, sending himself deeper into her heat. Tossing his head back, he opened his mouth baring his fangs to the ceiling.

Your mom don't know that you were missing
She'd be pissed if she could see the parts of you that I've been kissing
Screaming

Olivia began keening as she felt her body trembling, signaling that the end was getting closer. She let go of his arm and leaned forward, placing both hands on the headboard so that she could really get leverage to push against him.

No, we're never gonna quit
Ain't nothing wrong with it
Just acting like we're animals
No, no matter where we go
'Cause everybody knows
We're just a couple of animals

He growled as she shifted position. “Fuck, Liv!”

So come on baby, get in
Get in, just get in
Check out the trouble we're in

She tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave him a hungry look. “That’s it moro, give me more.”

You're beside me on the seat
Got your hand between my knees

With another growl, he leaned over her, covering her body with his and ran his hands up her sides and around her front to cup her breasts in his hands.

And you control how fast we go by just how hard you wanna squeeze
It's hard to steer when you're breathing in my ear
But I got both hands on the wheel while you got both hands on my gears

As he nipped at her neck, he teased her nipples with his thumbs all while never ceasing his relenting pounding into her body.

By now, no doubt that we were heading south
I guess nobody ever taught her not to speak with a full mouth

She leaned her head back against his shoulder, giving him more access to her neck and covered one of his hands with one of her own.

'Cause this was it, like flicking on a switch
It felt so good I almost drove into the ditch
I'm screaming

“Stop teasing already!” she hissed.

No, we're never gonna quit
Ain't nothing wrong with it
Just acting like we're animals
No, no matter where we go
'Cause everybody knows
We're just a couple of animals

Without further ado, Jonathan leaned over her shoulder and bit down into her neck, sucking hard.

So come on baby, get in
Get in, just get in
Look at the trouble we're in

The moment she felt her blood flowing freely into his mouth, Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and screamed to the ceiling as her orgasm washed over her. “Yesss!”

We were parked out by the tracks
We're sitting in the back
And we just started getting busy
When she whispered "what was that?"

Jonathan growled against her neck as he continued to drink her blood in time to the rhythm of his hip movements.

The wind, I think 'cause no one else knows where we are
And that was when she started screaming'
"That's my dad outside the car!"

Moments later he pulled his teeth out and tossed his head back, his deeper scream blending with hers as he finally released himself into her body.

Oh please, the keys, they're not in the ignition
Must have wound up on the floor while
we were switching our positions

Olivia waited until she felt him stop moving and shudder behind her before she moved away from him. She collapsed on his bed and pulled him down next to her where he wrapped his arms around her.

I guess they knew that she was missing
As I tried to tell her dad it was her mouth that I was kissing
Screaming

They lay in silence for a while, letting their bodies cool down from their heated play. Slowly, Jonathan turned his head to gaze at the one hundred and forty-nine year old Olivia who had her eyes closed and a small smile of satisfaction on her lips. He made no move to disturb her, instead he continued to watch her lying next to him.

No, we're never gonna quit
Ain't nothing wrong with it
Just acting like we're animals
No, no matter where we go
'Cause everybody knows
We're just a couple of animals

Ever since they had met, the two of them had fallen into the physical relationship they still shared up to that point. Granted, he wanted more, but she kept avoiding that topic when he’d bring it up. Still, she would come back to him again and again without hesitation. There was also the fact that he knew she had not been seeing anyone else for several years now.

So come on baby, get in
We're just a couple of animals
Get in, just get in
Ain't nothing wrong with it
Check out the trouble we're in
Get in, just get in

Slowly she opened her eyes to see him looking at her. Sighing, she kissed him on his cheek and began to get out of his bed. “I should go before they miss me.”

He frowned as he sat up and watched her begin to dress. “Liv, don’t you think we need to talk about this?”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Jon.”

He slid off the bed and turned her around to face him. “It’s been years Olivia! Your parents can’t say nothing about their nineteen year old daughter anymore!”

“I’m not worried about my parents, Jonathan.”

“Then what is it?”

She sighed as she ran her fingers through her hear. “I told you. I’m just not ready.”

“Not ready? Theos Olivia, we have been together for years now!”

“I know that! You remind me of that every time we are together!”

“And you still won’t commit to me!”

“I need more time!”

“How much more time do you need!” he yelled, making her back up a few steps.

They stood there staring at each other for a few moments before Olivia finally reached out to cup his cheek. “It’s not that I don’t have feelings for you Jon, you know I do. I just…I just need time to make sure this is really what I want.”

“Liv…”

She placed a finger over his lips. “Please? Please just let me have a little more time before I make a decision that could affect the rest of my life.”

Just when she thought he wasn’t going to reply, he slowly nodded his head. “All right. I’ll wait.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I’ll wait for you, Olivia.”

She smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

************************************************************

Max looked up from where he sat in his chair in his office in time to see Darrius walking in wearing a scowl on his face. He glanced at the open door that led down to his bedroom where Liz was resting since they all knew she was now close to giving birth again. He hoped whatever was about to happen wouldn’t disturb her rest.

He turned back to look at Darrius who plopped his lanky seventeen year old body down on the couch at the back of the office. Michael stormed into the room, put his hands on his hips, and glared at his son.

“I know I taught you better than that on how to treat a woman!” he growled.

Darrius rolled his eyes. “She’s not a woman dad. She’s my mom.” Under his breath he muttered. “At least that what everyone keeps telling me.”

Max remained silent, but raised an eyebrow at Darrius’ remark.

“That doesn’t give you the right to talk to her that way!”

“Why not? It’s not like she really cares what I say to her!”

“Of course she cares! Why do you think I’m here scolding you!”

Darrius stood up and jutted his chin out. “Because you don’t want her to leave you again!”

Just before Michael had the chance to leap at his son, Max was at his side restraining him. “Hold on, Michael.”

“Stay out of this Max!”

“I can’t let you rip him a new one until you find out just why your son is upset with Maria this time.”

“I know why he’s upset with her!” he growled as he took a step towards Darrius.

“Michael!” came Liz’s voice from the doorway, making all of them look towards her with alarm.

Max let go of his Dioikitis sending him a death glare before walking to his isyzygos side. “You shouldn’t be out of bed, Liz.”

“What did you expect me to do when Michael is ready to kill his son for something he refuses to let go of.”

Michael glared her way. “Look, Maria wanted to see him and she is his mother.”

“She is not my mother!” yelled Darrius as he curled his hands into fists. “She gave up all rights to me the moment I was born dad! And I declared myself free of her when I turned sixteen as was my right! And now I am not going to let that woman treat me like a yo-yo the way she treats you!”

Michael tensed once more, but Liz held out her hand, effectively keeping all of them in their places. Sighing, she moved to Darrius’ side and slid her arm around his shoulders. “Come downstairs with me Darrius? Max will talk to your dad while you keep me and the baby company.”

He nodded as he helped her towards the door to the bedroom. Liz glanced up at Max as an unspoken agreement passed between them before she disappeared down the stairs with Darrius.

Max turned to look at Michael who was still staring at the place where his son had last stood. “Michael, I know you want your son to know his mother, but Darrius has made his choice and there’s nothing you can do to change it. You should just be glad that he loves you with everything that he is.”

Michael sighed. “I know Max, but I just wish he’d treat her better when she’s living with us. Every time they are in the same house they just can’t stop arguing with each other.”

“From what Darrius has told us, he’s not always the one treating her bad. He says Maria starts it too.”

“Yeah, she does.”

“Well, then why do you defend her? He’s your son, Michael.”

Michael sat down and put his head in his hands. “I just want them to get along! I love both of them and just wish they could love each other too.”

Max looked helplessly at his best friend, unsure of what to do until Liz gave him a little nudge in his mind. Taking what she sent him, he moved a chair closer to Michael and sat down while placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Michael, I know you want to be a real family with Maria and Darrius, but you know that will never happen. Maria made it clear from the beginning that she wanted nothing to do with her son. You can’t expect her to change after all these years. And Darrius, how can you expect him to love a woman whom he knows never wanted him in the first place?”

He paused to let that sink in before he went on. “At least your son isn’t being deprived of any kind of love, Michael. He knows you love him and he knows he has a family with all of us. You should be glad that Darrius has turned out to be a wonderful young man despite not having his real mother there to love him. All Darrius needed was you to turn out as great as he has.”

Michael leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. “I know that, I just wish…”

“It takes two to make it work Michael. And we all know Maria doesn’t want it to work either. At least Darrius hasn’t resented you for continuing to love her. He respects you enough to accept that she will be a part of your life, so you should respect him enough to accept that she will never be a part of his.”

Michael finally looked up at Max and nodded. “You’re right. I know you’re right. Darrius hasn’t said anything to disrespect me for loving her.”

Max nodded. “He knows you love her Michael. He’s not going to stand in your way if that is what you want, but you have to leave him be. Just continue to be his father. That’s all he really wants.”

Before Michael had the chance to respond, thirty-two year old Stavros appeared before them making them both jump in alarm. Max growled at his son, who shouldn’t have been able to do that trick so easily at the tender maturity age of thirteen.

“Stavros! How many times do I have to tell you and your sister that the use of your powers is not to be taken lightly!”

Michael glanced around the room before saying, “Where is your sister anyway?”

“Right here,” came the twin’s older sister, Rena as she walked into the room with Tiegra at her side.

Max growled once more as Quinn entered behind them. “Why are you here?”

Rena ignored the look her father gave her osizigos as Tiegra answered for them. “I went to get Rena so Stavros could warn you first.”

Max narrowed his eyes. “Warn me about what?”

Stavros looked at his father as he said, “My sister is coming.”

Max looked from Rena to Tiegra before giving his son a puzzled look. Tiegra rolled her eyes. “He means our baby sister is ready to be born.”

Michael and Max came to their feet as Max asked, “Are you sure?”

In answer, Darrius shot out of the bedroom doorway. “Dad! Max! Liz is in labor!”

Max, call Isabel and Tess, came Liz’s pain filled voice in his head.

***********************************************************

“So Nathan, learned any new torture methods lately?” asked Kyle.

“Dad!” snapped Arissa at the same time Tess also snapped, “Kyle!”

Kyle gave them both a huge smile. “What? I was just asking.”

Nathan gave Kyle his own smile. “As a matter of fact, dad did teach me this neat trick using prongs.”

Arissa frowned at her osizigos. “That’s not funny Nathan.”

“Really?” replied Kyle. “So, used them on anyone yet?”

“Mom!” whined Arissa.

Tess glared at her osizigos. “Kyle Valenti, if you know what’s good for you, you will drop this line of questioning right now!”

Arissa gave Nathan a similar glare. “Same goes for you Nathaniel!”

Nathan just shrugged, clearly unafraid of her father, while Kyle sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. At the human maturity age of twenty-two, Nathan was already becoming a formidable vampire in his own right. There weren’t very many people for him to fear anymore, but he did respect those who were still stronger than he was.

Unfortunately Kyle wasn’t one of the stronger ones, but Nathan respected him because he was Arissa’s father. And since both of them loved her very much, Nathan refused to get on Kyle’s bad side no matter how much Kyle tried to goad him.

When the women were satisfied that the men weren’t going to growl and beat at their chests anymore, they went back to the peaceful conversation they’d been having before. It didn’t take long for the two men to join in without anymore incidents coming up again.

Since his mother was close to giving birth and his father was staying close by, Nathan had decided to ask Arissa if she wanted to spend the day with her parents. Since there were no pressing matters with the Aristomache coven, Arissa had agreed to go with Nathan to visit with her parents.

After saying hello to her youngest sister, Felicia, they had all gotten comfortable in the den while Felicia went to her room to gossip on the phone with Bianca about whatever it was that vampires at the maturity age of thirteen talked about.

This is where they were when Tess went stiff and closed her eyes. Kyle turned to look at her for a moment before turning to give Nathan a worried look.

“It’s your father. Your mother has gone into labor.”

Arissa and Nathan were already on their feet and rushing for the door as Kyle called after them, “Tess, Felicia, and I will meet you there!”

************************************************************

Vanessa couldn’t help but smile at the way her younger brother and his isyzygos complemented each other so well. Natalie who was now forty-nine, twenty in human maturity years, had been converted when she was nineteen by Caiden. At that point, the two of them had become syndeo and had been happily married ever since.

Caiden had met Natalie when she was just seventeen while he’d been in Europe. Apparently the humans there did things differently than they did where Caiden had grown up because Natalie had known what he was the moment she’d laid eyes on him. Unafraid of him, but clearly attracted to each other, she had slept with him. Amazingly, the instant connection had been the thing Caiden needed to curb his wild ways.

Natalie had been shocked at first that she was his omologia despite the fact that she knew what that was. Still, she’d quickly gotten over that shock as she realized she didn’t want to let him go. It hadn’t been hard to convince her parents that she was going back with Caiden since they got married in a human ceremony right before they’d left for Caiden’s home.

Once back home, Natalie had been quickly accepted into the Whitman family since everyone saw how mature she was for a human eighteen year old. They also saw the change she’d made in Caiden and the calming influence she had on him. That and she had a sense of humor to match Alex’s.

Isabel walked into the room where Alex, Caiden, and Natalie were talking with Vanessa and Aidan who had decided to pay them a visit. She sat down with a sigh. “I swear, I don’t know how Bianca became friends with Felicia! Those two are the complete opposite of each other.”

Vanessa chuckled. “Maybe that’s why they are friends. You know, opposites attract.”

Without looking away from Natalie, Caiden answered her with a grin. “That’s supposed to refer to couples, sis.”

Alex laughed. “That may be true, but I’m sure Kyle is counting his blessings that Bianca is around to keep Felicia from getting into any trouble.”

At his remark, everyone joined in the laughter.

As the laughter died down, Aidan looked at Natalie. “So, Natalie did you like growing up in France?”

Natalie tore her gaze away from Caiden and gave him a genuine smile. “Oh yes! Especially since I spent most of it out in the countryside. It was really beautiful out there. I loved how laid back everything seemed, compared to the fast pace of city life.”

Caiden chuckled. “Well, you did love Paris.”

She grinned at him. “True, but Paris wasn’t just any ordinary city.” She leaned in and rubbed noses with him. “And it is where I met you.”

Vanessa smirked. “Really? Tell us how you met, Natalie!”

Caiden groaned. “Oh come on Nessa, you’ve heard the story dozens of times already!”

“I know, but I love hearing it just the same.”

“You only want to hear it again just to make fun of me!” he pouted.

Natalie laughed as she pinched his cheek. “Oh but it’s just so much fun to do!”

Once more the room was filled with laughter as even Caiden joined in despite his earlier protest.

Just like Tess, Isabel suddenly went stiff, making everyone turn to look at her. They all sat quietly until she opened her eyes and said, “We need to get to the Aristomache mansion, Liz has gone into labor!”

************************************************************

The scene was nothing new. Max paced before the door looking like he wanted to tear the offending thing down. Michael and Darrius stood with their backs to the door and arms crossed over their chests watching Max pace. Nathan, Alex, and Kyle stood close to Max ready just in case he made a dive for the door again.

Once everyone had arrived at the mansion during Liz’s labor, Isabel and Tess had disappeared downstairs to help Liz deliver the baby. Two hours later, Max had been dragged out kicking and growling by Michael, Nathan, Kyle, and Alex. Vanessa had then been called down to assist the women and Arissa and Rena had volunteered to take Bianca, Felicia, Tiegra, and Stavros upstairs to the theater to keep them entertained during the birth.

As Max continued to pace and growl under his breath, Caiden, Natalie, Aidan, and Quinn looked on helplessly from their seats. Quinn watched Max pace for a moment before glancing at the others. As he looked at Aidan who sat next to him, he ignored the small shake of the man’s head and got to his feet.

“Max, maybe you should sit and rest for a bit.”

Max whirled around and launched himself at Quinn. Before he had a chance to touch him, Rena appeared between them and glared at her father while Nathan, Alex, and Kyle held him back.

“Dad! How dare you!” she snapped.

He growled and hissed. “What the hell is he doing here!”

Rena folded her arms in front of her. “We live here remember? Theos would you just stop being such a caveman and leave my syndeo alone!”

He growled again and struggled against those holding him back. “Let me go! I’m the Archigos here! This is my house!”

“Dad, get a hold of yourself! I know you and mom are still connected so listen to her! Don’t pay any attention to Quinn right now!” hissed Nathan as he held on to his father.

Rena glared at her older brother. “Don’t take his side!”

“I’m not! Theos Rena, now is not the time to get into this! Just go back to the kids and take him with you. Don’t give dad a reason to hurt anyone!”

Rena huffed. “Fine!” She grabbed Quinn’s arm before glaring at her father once more. “I think it’s finally time we find our own place Quinn. This place is getting too small for all of us anyway!”

With that she disappeared with Quinn, leaving Max roaring at nothing. His roar lasted only until Stavros suddenly appeared in front of him and pointed at the door leading to the bedroom. “Jocelyn is here.”

A wailing cry accompanied his proclamation. Michael and Darrius quickly moved out of the way as Max opened the door with a wave of his hand and disappeared down the stairs. All of those left in the room went quiet as Stavros whispered in a quiet voice. “Jocelyn will be the last one for my parents.”

One by one, they all turned to look at Stavros who stood there looking sadly at the opened bedroom door as Tiegra joined him. She placed her hand in his while tears ran down her face as Rena, Arissa, Bianca, Felicia, and Quinn returned to the room.

************************************************************

Max sat on the bed holding his newborn daughter in his arms. Liz slept peacefully at his side. He smiled at the way Jocelyn held on to his finger for a few moments before turning to look at Liz. There were tear stains on the pillow beneath her cheek and the memory of why they were there went through his mind once more.

After Stavros had told him that Jocelyn had been born, Max had come downstairs to see a happy, yet exhausted Liz holding their new daughter. A few minutes later, Isabel had called for a yatros since Liz hadn’t stopped bleeding. Tess had taken a now sleeping Jocelyn from Max while Isabel held her brother who was now fearing the loss of his syndeo. Vanessa had helped the yatros heal Liz.

When she was out of danger, the yatros told them all what Stavros had already announced to those waiting above. The damage to Liz’s womb had been too severe, she would no longer have anymore children. Despite the fact that Jocelyn had been born healthy and Liz had healed quickly with the help of the yatros and Max’s blood, the news hit hard.

As the others mourned upstairs, Max did his best to calm a now hysterical Liz. While Jocelyn slept in her crib next to their bed and everyone had left Max alone with his isyzygos, Max tried to tell her that it didn’t matter that they couldn’t have any more children. After all, they had five beautiful children already and Max was just grateful that Liz would be there to watch them all grow up with him.

He tried to make her see that she really only had fifty-one more years before she reached the human maturity age of forty which was when most vampire females stopped giving birth. Given that, he wanted to be able to enjoy watching the twins and Jocelyn grow without having yet another child to chase after.

Eventually, she had stopped crying and just lay there in his arms until she’d finally fallen asleep. Hours later everyone had gone home or to sleep also until Nathan had been the last one to see everyone out before saying goodnight to his parents. When Jocelyn had woken up, Max had attended to her while Liz continued to sleep. He knew he would have to wake her up soon so that she could feed their daughter.

Liz opened her eyes and reached out to lay her hand on Max’s thigh. “Hey,” she whispered.

He turned to look at her with a smile. “Hey, look who’s anxious to see you.”

Liz smiled as he set Jocelyn against her chest. Without hesitation, Liz bared her breast and led Jocelyn to it. As she sat there nursing her daughter, Max watched them with a smile.

She looked up at Max and asked, “Everyone gone?”

He nodded. “Yeah, they left once they knew we were okay. Nathan and Arissa saw them all out.” He chuckled, “My sister made sure Nathan told me that she is worried that Bianca is going to be corrupted.”

Liz quirked an eyebrow. “Did Stavros or Tiegra say something to her?”

Max shook his head. “No, but she claims that Bianca is hanging around Felicia and Tiegra so much that they have been dubbed the next three musketeers.”

“Ah, so she thinks drama queen Felicia and the witch Tiegra are going to be bad influences on her demure daughter.”

“And Stavros too,” grinned Max. “It seems while the girls are the three musketeers, Stavros has been dubbed their highest knight in shining armor.”

Liz couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. “Isabel couldn’t have given him that title.”

“Nope. The girls did. After they heard Isabel complain.”

“Oh I bet Isabel was fit to be tied.”

Max gave her a wicked grin. “You have no idea.”

The two of them shared another laugh before Liz lifted Jocelyn to her shoulder and burped her. As she settled her daughter back into her arms, Max leaned back against the headboard and pulled Liz against his chest. Together they rocked their daughter to sleep as Liz softly sang to her.

When Jocelyn had fallen asleep once more, Liz handed her to Max so that he could place her back into her crib. He tucked her in and placed a tender kiss against her forehead before getting undressed and crawling under the covers with Liz. She moved into his embrace, tilting her head back to give him a kiss.

The two of them shared a long, loving kiss before Liz laid her head against his chest. Listening to his heart beating, she sighed in contentment.

“S’agapo Max.”

Max smiled against the top of her head as his hand caressed her back, comforting her.

“S’agapo episis.”

TBC...

Part 47

*9 years later*

“I’ve decided that it’s time to step down,” announced Alex. “Isabel and I believe Caiden and Natalie are ready to take over the responsibilities of the Euphranor coven.”

Three heads looked up at him with mixed emotions as soon as he’d finished that announcement.

Liz got up from her chair next to Max and walked over to him. “Are you sure about this Alex?” she asked, concern in her voice.

Alex nodded. “Yes. Caiden has proven his worth and I am more than ready to retire, as is Isabel.”

Max frowned. “Alex, you are not that old.”

He grinned. “I know, but my isyzygos and I have discussed this already. We both want to enjoy watching Bianca grow up.” His grin widened. “And there’s our new grandson to spoil.”

Liz giggled as she thought of Vanessa and Aidan’s one year old son, Evander. Despite the fact that Alex and Isabel usually had their hands full of running the Euphranor coven, they had never lacked the time to dote on their grandson. In fact, it had almost become a competition between the Whitmans and Aidan’s parents to see who could spoil him the most.

Michael and Max exchanged looks for a few moments before Michael spoke up. “Have you already told Caiden about this?”

Alex sighed. “Not yet. I wanted to talk to all of the allied coven Archigos about it before I told him anything.”

Max nodded. “That’s a good move Alex.”

“Especially if they say something to disapprove of the change,” added Michael.

Max shrugged when they all looked at him. “I don’t see why they would disapprove. Alex is right. Caiden has proven his worth lately. And having Natalie as his syndeo and Archiga is definitely a huge boost in his favor.”

Liz nodded. “I have to agree. He’s a different man than the boy who went to Europe all those years ago. It’s almost as if he is a completely different person.”

Alex gave them grateful smiles. “Thanks, I’m hoping that they will see it that way. Plus, I hope they see how good he’s become at taking on the responsibilities of a future Archigos. He’s been working at my side since he returned from Europe and these last couple of years I’ve allowed him to handle certain responsibilities on his own. He’s excelled at whatever has come up.”

“And Natalie?” asked Liz.

“Isabel and Vanessa both had been teaching Natalie what she needs to know. If anything, I think she’s more confident and a fast learner as compared to Caiden. Isabel and I think that being his syndeo can help boost Caiden’s leadership skills.”

Liz grinned at that as her eyes flicked to Max and back to Alex. “I think you’re right, she’ll definitely be able to help Caiden in dealing with coven responsibilities .”

Max chuckled. “I’m going to have to second my isyzygos on that. She’ll make him into an even better Archigos than he would have been without her.”

Michael rolled his eyes as Liz blew Max a kiss in thanks. Alex simply smiled at their lighthearted interaction.

Max soon turned to Alex in all seriousness. “When will you be bringing it up with the rest of the Archigos of the allied covens?”

“At the next meeting in two weeks.”

************************************************************

Maria stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. “I don’t think you should encourage him Michael!”

Michael continued to finish getting dressed without batting an eye. He was used to Maria trying to interfere with Darrius’ decisions now that it was clear that she had no say whatsoever about what he did with his life. Despite that, she continued to let Michael know exactly what she disapproved of in her son’s life.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit dangerous for a kid like him?” she asked with a stomp of her foot.

Michael shrugged. “He’s eighteen in human maturity years Maria. That means he’s technically an adult now. Not even I can really dictate what he does with his life anymore.”

“Well that’s just wrong! He’s still your son and as such I know he’d listen to you! Tell him you don’t think he should be doing this!”

“He’s not doing anything dangerous tonight. And neither am I.”

“Oh come on Michael! You’re going to work right now and Darrius is just going to follow you like he always does. Even if none of you say it, he’s still helping you guard those twins!”

“Darrius isn’t helping me guard them, he’s just acting like a big brother that’s all. Besides, the twins like having him around as does Jocelyn. They all look up to him.”

“It’s still dangerous and I don’t want him getting any foolish ideas into his head!”

Michael stopped buttoning up his shirt as he looked into Maria’s eyes and asked, “What foolish ideas do you think he’s going to get?”

Maria threw her hands in the air. “Oh please! As if you don’t know that he’s already beginning to follow in your footsteps! That’s just unfair! Darrius needs to know there’s more to life than watching out for others, but none of you are telling him any different!”

He narrowed his eyes. “He knows there are many different opportunities out there Maria. I’ve had plenty of discussions with him about that. So has Liz and the others.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure they were a big help. I mean Liz has been a prisoner in the Aristomache mansion for a couple of centuries already, so what does she know that the others don’t.”

Michael stiffened. He knew where this was going and before she could start another fight, he quickly finished buttoning up his shirt and grabbed his jacket.

“Darrius! I’m leaving now!” he called out to his son.

“Coming!” came Darrius’ reply.

Maria opened her mouth to say something, but Michael beat her to it. “Whatever choice Darrius makes will be his choice. No matter what it is, I will support him. But for now, he’s happy going with me and learning about what I do. He’s happy and so are those he cares for, so there’s nothing any of us can do to change his mind.”

He walked past her into the living room to meet his son. Turning to look over his shoulder he added with a growl, “And the next time you want to get into an argument with me, leave Liz out of it or I won’t be responsible for what I do!”

Maria just glared at his back as he walked to where Darrius was waiting for him. Neither one of them looked at her as they nodded to each other and disappeared from sight.

************************************************************

Max sat next to Liz staring out of the window as the car moved along the highway. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye for the umpteenth time since they had left their home, yet there was no change in his demeanor. At least outwardly there wasn’t.

Nine year old Jocelyn sat between them, her legs swinging to and fro as she watched her twin brother and sister who sat on the seat across from them. Forty-one year old Stavros and Tiegra were acting like the adolescent fourteen year olds they looked like as they kept trying to outdo one another in using their powers to change their clothing into something that matched the latest fashions.

Normally, that blatant use of power was something their parents had strict rules about, but at the moment Max and Liz seemed preoccupied. That and the fact that they were in the limousine with the added presence of the driver, Michael, and Darrius up front was why they were able to get away with it for the time being. If any strangers were in the well shielded limo with them, the twins wouldn’t have been allowed to use their powers so freely.

Liz glanced through the front windows to see how far they were from reaching Rena and Quinn’s new home before glancing at Max again.

You can stop worrying, Liz. I’m all right, came Max’s amused voice in her mind.

I know you are. For now.

What’s that supposed to mean? I know I promised I’d be on my best behavior when we get there.

That’s right. You promised.

This time it was Max who glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She heard his mock gasp in her mind before he said, What! Are you saying you think I’m going to break my promise!

A quirk of an eyebrow was the only outward sign that she showed. Well, you know what they say? There’s always a first time.

This time he turned his head to look directly at her. “I am not going to kill the man, Liz!”

As one, all three of the kids turned to stare at Max as Liz gasped. “Max!”

Stavros rolled his eyes. “Mother, leave father alone. He’s going to keep his promise.”

Liz turned to narrow her eyes at him. “Is that the truth or are you just taking his side?”

Tiegra giggled. “Daddy won’t hurt Quinn mom. He loves Rena too much to want to lose her. Stavros and I don’t need to see the future to be able to know Daddy won’t risk losing Rena.”

Liz rolled her eyes and sat back against the seat. “You both are taking his side!”

Max chuckled as Jocelyn leaned back and folded her own arms over her chest, mimicking her mother. “I’ll take your side, mommy.”

Tiegra laughed. “Jocelyn, you’re such a baby. No one is taking sides.” She looked at her mother to emphasize her point. “No one. Quinn and Rena will live to have a lot of children.”

Max closed his eyes at that, prompting Liz to reach out and take his hand. She knew what he was feeling through the bond they shared. Even to her, the thought of their daughter having children of her own was daunting. As it was, Liz was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Nathan and Arissa were now hoping to conceive their first child soon.

As those thoughts went through her head, the limo turned into the driveway leading up to their daughter’s new home. Rena and Quinn had finally moved out into their own place a few months ago when Rena had become fed up with her father’s chauvinistic ways. After years of dealing with Max’s resentment towards Quinn for taking his daughter away from him, Rena had put her foot down and told her father to either stop threatening her osizigos life or they were moving out.

Needless to say, Max refused to stop growling at Quinn every time the man came near so Rena began to look for a new home. They had finally found one that wasn’t too far from the Aristomache mansion, but to Max anything was too far if Rena wasn’t in the bedroom she’d grown up in. Liz had come to terms with her son becoming an adult when she’d realized he and Arissa were seeing each other. Max was still in denial about his daughter being a grown up at all.

For the first couple of months that Rena was moving out, every day seemed to find Max throwing a tantrum and he and Rena at odds with each other. Once Rena and Quinn had moved out completely, Max had progressed to walking around the house looking sad and letting everyone know how much he missed his eldest daughter.

With a sigh, Liz turned to look at her osizigos as she said, “Okay, this is it. I expect everyone to be on their best behavior! Got it?” As her gaze swept around the limo, all heads nodded their compliance.

I promise I’m not going to kill him, agapo mou. Liz heard his voice in her mind as she stepped out of the limo after the children.

A few minutes later they were all in the foyer happily greeting Rena until Quinn came into the room and swept her into his arms, kissing her on her lips before grinning like a fool to the others.

“Welcome to our humble home,” he announced.

A growl sounded in Liz’s head. Not going to kill him, but I may just hurt him a little.

***********************************************************

Nathan looked up from where he sat at the desk he now shared with his father, just in time to see Arissa walk into the office. She smiled at him as she made her way around the desk and leaned down to kiss him.

“Working hard as usual?” she asked against his lips.

“Mm hm,” he replied before enjoying her kiss for a few moments. When he pulled away he grinned. “I’m almost done though.”

She nodded as she leaned against the arm of his chair and watched him work.

“I take it you’re done?” he asked.

She ran her fingers through his hair that was now getting nearly as long as his father’s. “Yes, I finished about fifteen minutes ago.”

He glanced up at her in question. “And it took you this long to come in here?”

She grinned at the way he sounded almost as possessive as Max could sound when it came to Liz. “Yeah, I had to stop in our room for something first.”

“What?”

She tsked. “You’ll see. Just finish your work first.”

He set the papers down and half turned in the chair. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he tugged her down until she was in his lap laughing at him.

“Now you know I’m not going to get a thing done since I’m going to be dying of curiosity. So tell me, what’s going on.”

She giggled and kissed his cheek. “The sooner you finish, the sooner you get to see.”

With that she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him hard. Just when he was about to deepen the kiss, she disappeared from the room. Growling under his breath, he got right back to work and finished as quickly as he could.

As soon as he was done, he willed himself to their bedroom demanding as soon as he appeared, “Now what are you…”

He trailed off as soon as the sight registered in his mind. Arissa was standing in front of the fireplace so that the fire seemed to light her from behind, creating a sort of aura all around her. She was dressed in a creamy white lace teddy with a matching sheer robe over it. Her hair hung loose, cascading down over her shoulders.

Nathan didn’t move for a few moments, content just to drink her in with his eyes. Still, Arissa knew he liked what he saw because his eyes began to glow that molten gold color of rising passion. She waited for a few more moments, allowing him his fill before she moved towards him.

The closer she got the more his eyes glowed and she was thrilled to see the way his pupils dilated. She reached up to caress his cheek and he turned his head to place a kiss against her palm before she moved her hand down his neck. Leaning close to him, she moved both hands to the front of his shirt as her lips grazed his.

“I think you’re overdressed,” she whispered against his lips.

“Yes,” he whispered back, sounding breathless. “Very.”

************************************************************

Jonathan sat on the edge of the bed, shrugging into his shirt. Olivia opened her eyes and looked up at him with a sigh. She reached out and managed to get hold of the tail of his shirt, tugging him back to her.

“What is your hurry? Come back to bed for a little longer.”

He looked at her over his shoulder. “I thought you had to get home soon.”

She shook her head. “My parents are over at the Whitman’s. They took Felicia to visit with Bianca for a while.”

He sighed before shrugging back out of his shirt and laying out next to her. As he trailed his fingers through her hair, she smiled up at him. He returned her smile before turning to gaze at the rest of her where his hand wandered.

Olivia didn’t say anything as she gazed at his profile, letting him caress her skin. She loved looking at him when he wasn’t paying attention because that was when he seemed the most unguarded. Despite the fact that he was a virtually well built man, he had the most tender eyes she’d ever seen.

She was often losing herself in them even when neither one of them was aware of it. And she knew it was because of what she often saw in those eyes that had made her fall for him. It was those eyes that kept her coming back again and again instead of taking up with any other men.

She’d never told him, but the moment she’d taken up with him had marked the end of her wild ways. Oh, she’d looked at other men and had even tried to go off with them, but every time she did, his eyes flashed into her mind and she ended up going home alone. Not long after that, she’d given up her game entirely and decided to see where her fascination with him would take her.

Several years later, she had a suspicion of just where they were going. And tonight, she knew it was time to put his fears to rest. At least she’d admit that she loved him because at this point, she was still wary of making that last step into a permanent commitment like she knew he was ready for.

“Jon?”

He moved his gaze to hers. “Hm?”

She smiled. “I love you.”

He blinked before leaning in to look into her eyes. “What?”

Her smile widened. She knew he didn’t believe it. “I love you, you oaf!”

As he wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her close to his body, he grinned down at her. “The truth?”

She nodded as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Yes Jonathan. I, Olivia Valenti, am in love with you.”

He closed his eyes and pressed his face into her neck. “Theos, how long have I been waiting to hear you say that?”

She hugged him close. “Long enough.”

He nodded as he lifted his head and narrowed his eyes. “Which is why I’m going to say this. You had better not be messing with me Olivia. Don’t be saying it just because you think it’ll get you what you want. Say it because you mean it, because you know I do.”

She nodded and cupped his cheek. “I know you do. And I mean it too.”

She leaned in to brush her lips over his. “I think I loved you the night we met, but I’ve been too scared to admit it. You came into my life at a time when I thought I was in love with someone else. I can only say how sorry I am for dragging you along, but I’m not sorry that you stayed around until I could get my head on straight.”

She leaned in until her serious gaze bore into his. “S’agapo Jonathan Sarandos, mono seh.”

He stared into her eyes for a few heartbeats before leaning in to kiss her. It didn’t take long before his body was covering hers and she began to show him just how much she loved him.

************************************************************

Tess sighed as she heard her osizigos grumbling under his breath behind her. She knew he was upset about Felicia and her dramatics. When the Whitman’s had gotten ready to leave for the night, she had pitched a fit right there in front of everyone. Bianca had been the one to take her aside to calm her down so that she and her parents could leave. Felicia had managed to say a strangled good bye before running upstairs and slamming her door shut. After that, no one could retrieve the still overly hysterical teen from her room.

Straightening up, she turned to look at him as she folded her arms in front of her. “You forget, agapo mou. I’m in your mind and can hear every word you say.”

He smirked at her as he moved to her side. “I know that, I’m in your mind too which means I know you agree with me.”

“No I don’t!”

“Yes you do!”

“Kyle! I don’t want to kill my daughter! Just punish her or something, but kill her?”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “Okay, so I was thinking of all the ways of killing her, but Felicia is still my daughter! You know very well I could never do such a thing!”

She grinned at him. “Aw, mou ftokhos osizigos.”

“Hey! No teasing the angry father.”

Laughing, she wrapped her arms around him as he continued to pout. Nuzzling his neck she whispered, “Is it alright to tease the husband then?”

He groaned as she nipped at his ear. “Um, could you do more than tease?”

She took his hand and led him towards the bed, her eyes sparkling. “Oh, I’m sure I can do much, much more agapo mou.”

************************************************************

“Rena honey, your father promised me he’d behave tonight. You can stop boring holes into their backs already.”

Rena turned to her mother with an apologetic look. “Sorry, mom.”

Liz nodded as she patted her daughter’s hand in understanding. While she didn’t blame Rena for being paranoid, Max had kept his word. Granted, he liked to send images of him strangling Quinn to Liz’s mind, but he was actually having a very civil conversation with Rena’s syndeo.

Right now, the two of them were talking about what it meant to be a syndeo. Apparently Quinn and Rena were still learning how to deal with it and since Max and Liz belonged to that rare group, Quinn needed his father-in-law’s advice.

The truth was, Liz knew Max had gotten over his urge to kill Quinn after he and Rena had moved out of the Aristomache mansion. It had taken that move to make Max realize he couldn’t control his eldest daughter’s life the way he liked to think he controlled Liz’s. As he coped with the loss of his baby girl, Liz had been there every step of the way to help him deal with it.

She knew he was extremely grateful that he had her to keep his wits about him. He’d told her time and again that he didn’t think he would have survived as long as he had now without her at his side to keep him sane. While she loved the way he always made her feel like he couldn’t live without her, she was certain Max would have continued to be the great leader he was even if they had never met.

Rena settled back into her chair and gave her mother a smile. “So, I take it the twins are still keeping you and dad on your toes.”

Liz grinned as she looked in the direction of where the twins were with Darrius. The three of them sat around a table playing a board game. Amazingly, Darrius managed to not get thrown out of the game despite how good the twins were at almost anything they did. He seemed to be the only one who could put up with the ruthless competition the twins always had with anyone they played with. Unlike everyone else, Darrius remained calm no matter what the twins threw at him.

She looked away from them to where Michael sat on a couch with Jocelyn next to him. The two of them were watching a favorite movie of hers, one that could keep her occupied long enough so that the others could visit together.

“Yeah, when aren’t they huh? But I think we’ve finally realized that there’s nothing to be done about Stavros and Tiegra. They’re different and they will always be so. It’s just the way they were born.”

Rena nodded. “Yeah, but honestly, I don’t think they’re all that strange. I mean, sure they can predict things, but they can’t see everything. Plus, their powers don’t seem stronger than say yours or even dad’s. So what if they seemed to have been born wielding their powers, they still had to develop them too.”

Liz sighed. “We know that Rena, that’s not what we are worried about. In the beginning, we were worried someone would take them from us and use them like puppets. As they get older, we’re just afraid they won’t know their limits. You know as well as I do that power can corrupt. Your father is worried that they will be a case of too much, too soon.”

Rena turned to look at the twins with a slight frown. “I don’t think so. I think they will grow up to amaze us all.”

“I really hope you’re right,” replied Liz.

************************************************************

Nathan moaned as her tongue swirled over his nipple. He was enjoying the way her hair teased his bare skin even as her mouth and hands did the same. Arissa had made the entire night into a seduction of her osizigos and now, he was at the point where he was going to beg her to put him out of his misery.

Space
Seems like it 's organized
Against me

She’d undressed him slowly, sliding her hands over every inch of skin she’d bared before tossing the piece of clothing away. When she had him completely naked, she’d led him to the bed where she had him lay in the center of it. Then she’d proceeded to drive him wild as she leaned over him.

But I, victim of gravity
Can fly
When you lie next to me

Having removed her robe, she remained in the lace teddy as she moved over him. That coupled with her soft skin and silky long hair against his bare skin was having the perfect effect on his rising desire for her.

I feel so strong
I feel so safe

As she slid her hands down his sides to his hips, she moved to straddle his thighs. Her tongue still teased first one nipple and then the other. She would alternate between little stinging bites and laving the pain away with her tongue. She knew exactly what she was doing to him.

Lost puzzle pieces
Fall in place

As she moved to sit astride his thighs, her lips traveled down his chest and her fingers curled around his already hard erection. Nathan groaned and gripped her thighs, making her look up at him with a smile. Still, she continued to stroke him with her hand as she licked her lips.

When you lie next to me

He hissed at the way her tongue moved over her lips and the hungry look in her eyes. It only made her smile wider.

When you lie next to me

“Relax, agapo mou. I’ll give you what you want.”

I can't be superman
But I
I'll do the best I can

He gripped her thighs harder. “When? I’m running out of patience.”

For
Each other we seem to be
Made

She arched an eyebrow at him. “Demanding aren’t we?”

When you lie next to me

He growled. “Yes!”

I feel so strong
I feel so safe

She laughed at that, but rose to her knees, willed the teddy away, and sank down on him making him throw his head back and growl in satisfaction. As his hands moved up to her waist, she began the rocking motion she knew he loved.

Lost puzzle pieces
Fall in place

His own hips rose up to meet her downward movements, sending him deeper into her even as his hands on her waist pulled her down too. As he reached that part of her that needed to feel him, her eyes went to half mast and her lips parted as she began to pant in rising passion.

When you lie next to me

Nathan watched her ride him, loving the look on her face as he stroked her insides just the way she loved. Now, he was giving as good as he got and enjoying every minute of it. He moaned when she tilted her head back slightly and bared her fangs, he knew what was coming and he twitched in excitement.

When you lie next to me

She felt him twitch inside of her and looked at him through her lashes. She knew he loved this part, they both did. It was one of those times when their souls seemed to be one, when they could swear they were almost connected just like any other syndeo could be. It was a feeling they both knew could be addicting.

When you lie next to me

She rode him for a little longer, drawing out the anticipation until they both couldn’t stand it. Finally, she leaned over him twisting her body slightly until her mouth settled over his chest.

When you lie next to me

As her fangs sank into his skin, she could feel his fangs sinking into her shoulder. Together, they fed from each other, their mouths keeping the rhythm of their connected bodies. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the way his blood tasted in her mouth and the way he felt inside of her.

And when we're tired
We drift
Away to sleep

Nathan could feel the moment when their minds and bodies began to merge. When he could feel her feeling him. He knew she was experiencing the same things he was. Knew they were now sharing their minds, their bodies. Their souls.

And you're the dream
That's worth remembering

Her fingers dug into his biceps, clinging to him as she felt the end nearing. Still, she didn’t want it to end anymore than he did. His own fingers dug into her hips, holding her to him. All too soon, she felt the explosion at the same time he did. As their blood flowed into each other, so did their orgasms. All of it mingling together so closely that they couldn’t feel where one ended and the other began.

I feel so strong
I feel so safe

It would be well into the day before either one of them would be able to tear themselves away from the other. Because they knew that when they did, that temporary bond they’d formed would fade away again.

When you lie next to me

As their bodies continued to pulse even after the shared orgasm, she collapsed on top of him feeling his arms wrap around her to keep her close to him. She sighed in contentment against his chest as he whispered against her hair.

When you lie next to me

“S’agapo, Arissa.”

“Ya panda,” she whispered back.

TBC...

Song is Lie Next to Me by The Panic Channel

new Greek word
ftokhos - poor

***Okay guys, I know you are all not ready to hear this any more than I am ready to say it, but after this part there are only five more parts left to this story . So, I hope you all enjoy it as much as I will while it continues to last.***


Part 48

Michael walked into Max’s office and grinned at his son who was sitting near the desk with Nathan. Over the past couple of years, Darrius had taken to staying in Michael’s old room there at the Aristomache mansion while Michael continued to live in the home he shared with Maria.

Since Darrius now lived at the mansion, he and Nathan had seemed to become close and Darrius was often at the side of the future Archigos, both of them still learning all kinds of things. For Nathan, it had been completely natural to accept Darrius as a friend, especially since he rarely saw Caiden anymore due to the fact that he and Natalie were very busy in their new position as Archigos and Archiga of the Euphranor coven.

Nathan had been there along with Arissa and everyone else the day Alex and Isabel passed the leadership on to Caiden and Natalie. That night had been one of the best nights for the original three musketeers as they had celebrated their new lives regardless of where it led them. Both Nathan and Arissa had been glad to have their friend back and although they all knew their future duties would take precedence over their closeness, they all knew they would continue to be the best friends they had once been.

Now with Darrius constantly at his side, Nathan had grown as close to him as he had once been with Caiden. And the fact that Darrius was just as interested in the ways of the coven as he was, Nathan was more than happy to have his companionship. Through it all, Max had never once complained about having Nathan and Darrius constantly shadowing him whenever he was working and neither had Michael.

Even though Michael missed having his son at home, he knew the time was fast approaching when Darrius would decide to go out on his own. Still, Michael had made it a point to make sure Darrius knew what all of his options were. As Darrius had grown up, Michael had made sure Darrius understood that there was a whole world out there just waiting for him to become a part of if that’s what he wanted.

He’d made sure Darrius knew that whatever he chose to do with his life, Michael would support him. Never once had Michael told his son that he had to follow in his footsteps. He had never even hinted to Darrius about that since he wanted his son to make his own life choices the way he had.

Darrius looked up at his father and grinned, “Well, look who decided to show up today. Max and Nathan were placing bets on how long it would take you to appear here.”

Michael arched an eyebrow. “What? I told Max I’d be here at least by seven.”

Nathan and Darrius both glanced at the clock before Darrius turned to Nathan with a chuckle. “Looks like you won, your dad isn’t going to be happy.”

Michael rolled his eyes. “Care to fill me in?”

Nathan gave Michael a good natured grin even as he shrugged. “Dad said you’d be late, I said you’d be early.”

Michael nodded. “Right and I’m early, so what did you win?”

“Not sure yet, I’m still debating on what to chose.”

Michael laughed. “Better think of something quick or else your dad is going to say you’ve forfeit.”

Before Nathan had a chance to retort, Max appeared in the room with his arms folded over his chest and a scowl on his face. All of them looked at him for a few moments before Nathan asked, “What’s wrong now?”

Max growled. “What is it with teenage girls that they have to be so flighty? What? Do they think that just because I’m their father they think I’ll give them whatever they want?”

Nathan and Darrius just looked at each other for a moment before busying themselves with papers, they knew better than to answer that. Instead, Michael was the one to brave the firing squad.

“Well, Max it’s because you DO give them what they want.”

Max narrowed his eyes at Michael. “I do not!”

Michael sighed. “Face it, Max. You and I both are a sucker for a pretty face. All they have to do is bat their eyelashes at us or flash a smile and we’ll give them what they want.”

Max heard laughter in his mind. He’s got that right! At least he admits his weaknesses. You, agapo mou, are still trying to puff out your chest in vain.

Max growled once more. “This is what I get for having women in my life! Whose idea was it for me to find a mate and reproduce again? Didn’t anyone stop to think that maybe that would have been my downfall?”

Michael’s eyes went wide a moment before Liz appeared in the doorway leading down to their room, fire in her eyes. “Maximillian Evans! How dare you think you could possibly survive without your mate! And what do you mean you regret having children! You worship the ground they walk on!”

Nathan snickered. “No offense dad, but you actually worship the ground mom walks on. The rest of us are just guilty by association.”

Max glared at his son for a moment before looking back at Liz. She was now looking at him with a lopsided grin. A few seconds later Max threw his hands in the air, but it was obvious from the sparkle in his eyes that he totally agreed with Nathan.

“Fine then. Since I’m such a pushover when it comes to my kids, you go deal with them!”

Liz chuckled as she made her way to her osizigos side and rose on her toes to kiss his cheek. “I’ll talk to them, agapo mou. Don’t worry about it.”

As she walked out of the room, Michael turned a questioning look to Max.

Max sighed. “The three musketeers are driving all of us insane with their begging. They think they are old enough to go to balls now and have been doing their best to get us to agree to let them go. And of course, their knight in shining armor is right there behind them trying to help them with their schemes.”

Michael couldn’t help but laugh at that image. He could clearly see Tiegra, Felicia, and Bianca nagging their parents let them go out. Most especially Felicia and Tiegra because more than likely Bianca just went along with them so that she wouldn’t be left out. Felicia was probably the ring leader and the ever sly Tiegra was probably the one who came up with all the good plans.

If it wasn’t Tiegra, then it was her twin, Stavros. Or it was the both of them. Now that was a scary thought. If those two came up with a plan, whoever they were planning against had best be on their guard. It was rare that anyone could catch the two of them red handed when they were working together. They had become masters at deception in less time than it took to learn to walk.

Michael couldn’t help but feel slightly sorry for Max. Right now, he had to deal with the fourteen year old twins, but it wouldn’t be long before eleven year old Jocelyn caught up with them. And Michael wondered if she wouldn’t be the worst one for Max since she was the last of the Evan’s clan to reach maturity. At least she was maturing just like a normal child, not having been born with any powers the way the twins had.

Suddenly Max grinned and closed his eyes as if savoring a triumph. All of the others in the room stared at him before Nathan rolled his eyes. No doubt Liz had just succeeded where Max had failed and had put the kids in their place. It wouldn’t be the first time Liz had come to Max’s rescue when it came to reprimanding their kids.

A moments later Max opened his eyes with a sigh. “Now that that’s taken care of, what were you talking about before I got here?”

Darrius snickered as Nathan grinned down at his papers. It was Michael who answered with narrowed eyes towards Max. “Seems our esteemed Archigos is not above placing wagers with his eldest son where I’m concerned.”

Max arched an eyebrow at Michael before turning his gaze to the other two. One look at them and he knew who’d won. Once more he was scowling. “Fine, so I lost, what do I owe you, Nate?”

Nathan looked up at him with a grin. “Tomorrow night, you have to meet me in the study at midnight and I’ll tell you what you have to do then.”

Max frowned. “That’s it?”

Nathan nodded. “Yep, that’s all I’m going to say about it right now.”

Max rolled his eyes. “You’re stalling for time. You don’t even know what you want me to owe you.”

Nathan laughed. “Nice try dad. I’m not going to tell you what it is until you show up tomorrow at midnight and not before then! Just make sure you have your schedule for the rest of the night cleared.”

Max huffed. “Fine,” was all he said as he made his way to his desk followed by Michael.

The four of them began to work together as they often did when they were all together. Since Max gave Nathan more and more duties to attend to on his own, Nathan often handled them while in the presence of his father just in case he needed his guidance. Of course, he didn’t need Max’s help that often, but it was still nice to be able to work in close proximity with other members of your family.

Even though Darrius had yet to announce what he was going to do with his life, none of them minded having him there with them. And when he chose to work alongside Nathan, none of them told him he couldn’t. So, there he was sharing Nathan’s desk space just as Michael shared Max’s.

A few hours later, the four of them had finished the majority of their work and were just relaxing in the office. Michael had moved to recline on the couch while the others remained in their chairs at the desks. They had been talking about nothing in particular and basically catching up on the lives of their other family members.

“So, how are Alex and Isabel handling retirement?” asked Michael as he continued to stare at the ceiling from his place on the couch.

Max chuckled. “Oh they are living it up, that much is certain.”

“Yeah,” agreed Nathan. “Caiden has told me they’ve only checked in on him about every four months since he took over. And then it’s only to say hi.”

Michael grinned. “Must be nice not to have anything to worry about then.”

“Well, they do worry over their family. And they’ve been driving Vanessa and Aidan insane with the way they dote over Evander,” replied Max. “Liz gets plenty of calls from Nessa asking her to intervene before she strangles her mother.”

The rest of them laughed at that. Vanessa normally had a cool head on her shoulders. Both her and Aidan had always been the most laid back easy going couple despite the fact that they ruled the Irinikos coven. Still, the only one to get under Vanessa’s skin was her mother and the only one who seemed to handle a dramatic Isabel was Liz.

“Poor Evander, I’m sure he’s getting tired of being smothered by Isabel,” said Darrius.

Max chuckled. “Surprisingly, no. But that’s only because he’s got his grandfather to soften the blows. Where Isabel is overbearing, Alex isn’t. Vanessa says her three year old son adores his grandfather more than anyone else, including his parents.”

Nathan snickered. “She’s exaggerating of course. Evander may adore his grandfather the most, but if things get tough, he’s running to his parents of course. Even Evander knows they can handle anything when their under pressure and not lose their cool.”

Darrius nodded his agreement. “I second that.”

The others also added their own agreements as Liz wandered into the room. She glanced from one man to the other and placed her hands on her hips.

“Do you four have any idea what time it is or have you forgotten that we have a ball to go to tonight?”

Nathan groaned. “Thanks for ruining the moment mom.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh please, don’t act like you don’t enjoy these things.” She suddenly grinned at him. “And wait until you see the dress Arissa is wearing tonight.”

As Nathan gaped at her, she turned a narrowed gaze on Max. “And you need to go change too.”

Max wisely didn’t say a word as he rose from his chair to head towards the doorway to his bedroom. As the others began to go where they needed to, Darrius cleared his throat.

Everyone stopped and looked at him as he spoke. “I know we have someplace to be, but there’s something I wanted to tell all of you. And since we’re all here except Arissa, I guess this is a good time as any.”

Michael glanced at the others before making his way to his son’s side. “What is it, Darrius?”

His son looked him in the eyes and gave him a huge smile. “I’ve decided that I want to follow in your footsteps. I want to be a polemistis like you.”

Michael didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to. Everyone in the room, including Darrius could see the pride shining in his eyes. Despite the fact that he’d never pushed Darrius, he couldn’t help but be proud of his son for wanting to follow his lead.

Liz was the first to speak. Leaving Max’s side, she made her way towards Darrius. She placed a soft hand on his arm and as he looked at her, she gave him a reassuring smile.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but are you sure this is what you want? And you have to be sure Darrius because you know it won’t be an easy road for you. Once you start, it will be hard to change your mind.”

Darrius nodded. “I’m sure. I’ve thought about this for the last few years and spent a lot of time watching my father doing his job. It’s what I want.”

She gave him a bright smile as she patted his arm before turning towards Michael. “Congratulations,” she said before turning back to Darrius, “To both of you.”

Max nodded as he made his way to Liz’s side and slid an arm around her waist. “I second that.”

Michael moved to Darrius and pulled him in for a hug. Darrius hugged his father back as Michael whispered, “I am so proud of you, my son.”

Pulling away, Darrius could see the way his father’s eyes sparkled with wetness. He smiled, “Thanks dad.”

Michael nodded as Max spoke up again. “Michael, what do you say to allowing Darrius train with Nathan? That way if they both decide to, when it is time, Darrius may one day become Dioikitis to Nathan and Arissa.”

Michael’s smile widened as he turned to look at his son. “I’ll allow it, but only if that is what Darrius wants. It’s his life, therefore it’s his choice. Whatever you want to do Darrius, I’ll support you, you know that.”

Darrius nodded as he looked at Max, then at Nathan. “I’d be honored to train with Nathan, if he’ll have me.”

Nathan chuckled before hugging him and clapping him on the back. “Of course I would! And I’d be honored to have you guarding my back anytime, my friend!”

Max grinned. “Well then, it’s settled. Darrius will train as second to Nathan and someday, you may just become a great Dioikitis like your father.”

Darrius beamed at Michael. “I’ll certainly have my work cut out for me, huh?”

Everyone laughed at that before congratulating Darrius once more. Soon they had all dispersed to get ready for the ball they were attending together.

************************************************************

Liz and Tess were talking to Vanessa as Kyle walked up to them wearing a puzzled look. Michael stood behind them, doing his duty as Dioikitis to Liz and Thanos stood behind Vanessa as her Dioikitis.

They were all at the Gennadius coven ball, with other members of the allied covens in hopes of starting friendly relations with the coven and convincing them to join the other allied covens in a peaceful truce. Max was off with Nathan and the others already in talks. Darrius was shadowing them, obviously taking his new assignment as Nathan’s second to heart even though it hadn’t officially been announced yet.

Caiden was also with the three of them as well as his Dioikitis, Blaise. Aidan was there too, but Thanos was with Vanessa. Vincent from the Hilarion coven was also there. But his Dioikitis, Lukas was with Vincent’s new wife. Both Talos and his new Dioikitis, Justus from the Akakios coven were there. As were Basil and Trent from the Elpizo coven. While Valerian was there as the new Archigos of the Bion coven after his father, Ermin had retired. Vito remained the Dioikitis for Valerian.

While the leaders were in talks, the women and others remained out at the ball socializing. Natalie was talking to Arissa, Rena, Quinn and others. While Liz, Tess, and Vanessa talked with a few others. Isabel and Alex had decided to stay away in favor of babysitting their grandson, Evander. And Kyle had been talking to several friends of his from his former Hilarion coven until he’d made his way to his isyzygos side wearing the puzzled look.

Tess quirked an eyebrow as Liz asked, “What’s wrong Kyle?”

Tess answered for him. “Olivia’s around here somewhere Kyle. She was with Rena not to long ago, so she probably went to powder her nose or something. Stop worrying about her and try to enjoy yourself tonight.”

Kyle chuckled as he moved to Tess’ side and slid his hand over her protruding belly. “And are you enjoying yourself, agapo mou?”

Tess nodded with a smile. “Of course and the baby is behaving himself.”

Liz grinned at that. “You’re having a boy?”

Tess shrugged as Kyle said. “We don’t really know, but we keep saying that if we call it a boy, it’ll be a boy.”

The others laughed at that. Tess was now six months pregnant with their fourth child and both she and Kyle were praying it was indeed a boy. After three girls, everyone knew how badly the couple wanted a son.

Before anyone had stopped laughing, a shriek sounded from outside one of the ballroom doors. As all of them turned to look in the direction of the shriek, they all heard a voice scream, “Get your filthy hands off of me you freak!”

Kyle and Tess both narrowed their eyes in suspicion as Kyle muttered. “I know that voice.”

Without another word, he took off in the direction of the voice with Liz, Vanessa, Michael, and Thanos at his heels. Tess was the last one behind them, waddling at a much slower pace. Tess rounded the corner in time to see her osizigos patting down Felicia, making sure she was okay as Liz stood with her hands on her hips and narrowed eyes at Felicia’s attacker.

The attacker wasn’t going anywhere since Stavros had him pinned to the wall with his raised hand and Michael and Thanos had moved to flank the man. Tiegra left Felicia’s side to join him while Bianca remained near the rattled girl.

Tess took in everything before asking, “What just happened?”

It was no surprise that Bianca was the one that answered. “Tiegra, Stavros, and I were trying to find a way to sneak in when we heard Felicia shriek. We came running to find her pinned to the wall by that guy who was harassing her. Stavros took him off of her so that Tiegra and I could pull her way from him.”

Liz’s head had snapped to her when she’d started talking. Slowly, she turned her eyes to where the twins stood, holding the other man hostage. “You were trying to sneak into the ball! How did all of you even sneak out of your homes to begin with? No! Don’t answer that!” She growled as she held up her hand for silence.

Vanessa sighed and made her way to her little sister’s side. Offering her hand to her, she said, “Well, come on Bianca. I think you should stay with me until Aidan is finished with his talks. Then we’ll be escorting you home to mom and dad. I hope you’ll be ready to face mom’s ire when we do.”

Bianca nodded submissively as she took Vanessa’s hand and the two of them made their way inside, followed by Thanos. As soon as Kyle was certain no harm had come to Felicia, he stood up and glared at the man. “Who the hell are you and what did you think you were doing with my fourteen year old daughter!”

The man swallowed. “S-sorry. I didn’t know she was that young! I swear! She said she was looking for some fun at the ball, I thought she was flirting with me.”

Kyle’s head whipped around to glare at Felicia who was now trying to make herself scarce. As Liz whispered to Stavros to let the poor guy go, Kyle growled at his daughter.

“Are you out of your mind!” he roared. “What were you thinking! He’s got to be more than half your age and you were flirting with him! What is wrong with you!”

Michael ushered the flustered and apologetic man back into the ball before returning to stand near Liz and the twins.

“I was just trying to find a way in dad! I swear! I thought that if I was nice to him, he’d help us get inside.”

Tess walked up to her with arms folded over her chest as far as her belly would allow. “How did you even get here when we specifically told you to stay at home with your epitasis!”

Felicia sniffled prettily. “Tiegra snuck me out.”

As one, all of the adults turned to look at Tiegra. As they did, Stavros inched closer to his sister. Still, Tiegra wasn’t scared. “What? She obviously couldn’t have gotten out on her own!”

Liz opened her mouth to respond until a much more masculine and intimidating growl came from the doorway. “No, but now you and your brother are not only in trouble for sneaking out! You both are also in trouble for using your powers to sneak two others out of their homes! Trust me when I say, you two just dug your graves even deeper!”

This time the twins had the grace to cower as their father strode towards them looking every inch like the powerful and legendary Archigos of the Aristomache that he was. Unfortunately Felicia wasn’t under his scrutinizing gaze, so once more she blurted out her thoughts.

“But we thought it would be all right! After all, Stavros is our protector! He’d make sure nothing happened to us and if we could find Darrius…”

“I would have escorted all of you to your parents as soon as possible,” finished Darrius as he strode out of the ballroom to join the others.

Tiegra raised an eyebrow at Darrius, “Et tu Brutus?”

“He’s not a traitor Tiegra!” snapped Michael. “He’s only looking out for the two of you, which happens to be part of his job!”

Max growled once more, “I hope you two understand just what you could have messed up tonight if we hadn’t been close to the end of our peace talks! You all are lucky nothing really happened to any of you!”

“He’s right,” added Kyle. “You had better hope this doesn’t stress your mother out too much! Or did you already forget she has other things to worry about other than your childish behavior?”

Felicia’s lips began to tremble as she turned watery eyes towards her father after quickly glancing her mother’s way. Tess growled.

“Don’t you dare try to turn on the charm now, girl! It’s way too late to try that with your father!”

As she began to sob dramatically, Stavros and Tiegra turned towards the ballroom quirking their heads to the side in an eerily similar way.

“Where’s Olivia?” They asked simultaneously.

************************************************************

Max ran his hands through his already disheveled hair. His mind was still on the long night he’d been having so far and it didn’t seem as if the drama was going to end yet. After the one they’d had just last night, he had thought they’d get a reprieve. No such luck.

Last night, after the three musketeers and Stavros had been caught trying to sneak into the Gennadius ball, Olivia and Jonathan had been discovered making out in one of the darkened rooms of the house. Max and Liz had quickly realized the twins had set her up, thinking they could get everyone’s attention off of them and onto someone else.

Instead, Kyle had nearly gone mad trying to kill both of his daughters and Jonathan prompting an equally angry Tess to ask for the aid of Nathan and Michael to get Kyle home safely while she escorted Olivia and Felicia herself.

Max and Liz had seen them off first before taking their own twins home with Darrius and Arissa along for the ride. All the way home, Max and Liz had lectured the twins on not sneaking out ever again and on thinking that they could lessen their punishment by turning everyone’s attention to Olivia and Jonathan. Instead, what they had ended up doing was making their punishment harsher because they’d abused their powers and used them to aid others in getting into trouble.

That had been the night before and as soon as Max and Liz had awoken the following night, the drama had continued. Granted, Kyle had calmed down and he and Tess were now willing to meet the man Olivia claimed to be in love with.

Tess had convinced Kyle to listen to a very subdued Olivia. And Liz had made the comment that it was a good thing Olivia had talked to them in a seemingly calm and level headed way without bringing on any kind of dramatics she had been known for. They were all hoping the change in Olivia was due to this new man in her life.

The drama that had risen up that evening was with Maria. Granted, Max and Liz were nowhere near Maria when she’d gone on the rampage, but they’d heard all about it from Darrius, Nathan, and Michael.

Apparently Michael had told her the news about Darrius that night and she’d immediately ordered her son to go see her right that minute. Michael had tried to warn Darrius to stay away, but Darrius had insisted he could handle his mother. Two hours and several pieces of broken furniture later, Darrius had marched back into the Aristomache mansion wearing a scowl on his face and muttering under his breath about women and broken hearts.

Turned out that when Darrius refused to listen to her ultimatum of not following in Michael’s footsteps or else, she’d told Michael she wasn’t hanging around anymore if they weren’t going to listen to her. Michael had told her that Darrius was free to make his own decisions and he wasn’t going to interfere with them.

Maria had told him to either make Darrius listen to her or she was leaving. In the end, she had left again. Darrius had immediately turned around and hurried back to his father’s home with Nathan in tow hoping to comfort his father.

When they’d arrived at the house, Michael was sadly setting his home to rights again. He told them not to worry, he’d be fine. After all, he was used to Maria’s coming and goings. Still, Nathan and Darrius had helped him to clean up the mess before returning to the Aristomache mansion where they had informed Liz and Max of what had happened.

Liz had tried to talk Michael into coming over to spend the evening with them, but Michael had declined. He reassured them that he was fine and just needed to have some time to himself on his night off. Still, Max had spent most of the night worrying about his friend.

Michael was still on his mind as he made his way towards the study on the second floor where he’d promised Nathan he’d meet him at midnight. He’d lost the bet after all, so he had to find out what he owed his son despite the fact that he would rather be elsewhere.

He opened the door and made his way inside, stopping when his surroundings got his attention. Liz stood in the middle of the room which was lit only by the many candles set on top of the shelves, file cabinets, and any other space available. Only the architects desk and the huge oak desk, as well as their chairs didn’t have any candles.

As Max looked around, he realized that the normally cluttered desks and surroundings had been meticulously cleaned. And all papers had been stacked and put away. Someone had obviously taken the time to straighten up the normally heavily used study.

Liz smiled at him as she made her way towards him and held out an envelope to him. “Nathan said to give this to you.”

Max took the envelope from her and pulled out the letter inside. It was clearly written in Nathan’s handwriting which was very similar to Max’s own.

Dad, I’m sure you’re wondering what is going on. This is what you owe me for losing the bet. Tonight, you are to spend the rest of it with mom. That’s it. You and mom have the night with each other and no interruptions. Rena and Quinn are keeping Jocelyn for the night, while Arissa and I will be watching the twins. So, that’s what you have to do. Arissa and I don’t want to see either of you until tomorrow night, so don’t you dare renege on our bet, got it? Good! Have a great night! Your son, Nathan.

Max looked up to see Liz still smiling at him. “So, he told you what happened?”

Liz nodded. “Of course. And I have to say while I won’t condone what you two do with those bets of yours, I do like how my son thinks.”

Max gave her a sheepish grin as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. “But it was just a harmless bet, agapo mou.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You are teaching our children some unscrupulous things, akribos osizigos!”

He chuckled. “Not that unscrupulous.”

find me here
and speak to me
I want to feel you
I need to hear you

She sighed as he dipped his head and took her lips in his in a deep, wet kiss. Her arms slid around his shoulders to hold him to her as he devoured her mouth.

you are the light
that's leading me
to the place
where I find peace again

He knew she wasn’t upset with him. The bet was a harmless one anyway and the outcome had been in their favor, to tell the truth. Max made a mental note to thank his perceptive son for what he’d done for them. Of course, he’d wait until tomorrow to do it.

you are the strength
that keeps me walking
you are the hope
that keeps me trusting

Liz slid her hands over his shoulders and down the front of his shirt, willing it away as she did so. As her lips left his to kiss their way down his chest, he couldn’t help but smile at the way his clothes all disappeared when her hands slid over them.

you are the life
to my soul
you are my purpose
you're everything

When she slowly rose to stand before him, her hands still sliding over his naked skin, Max walked her backwards until she was caught between him and the huge oak desk. Placing his hands on her hips, he lifted her up and laid her down across the desk before leaning over her.

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this yeah

Liz smiled up at him as he mimicked her earlier moves and slid his hands over her clothes, making them disappear. As soon as she was as naked as he was, he continued to caress his way over every inch of her, stopping only to lean in and savor her breasts and stomach with his mouth.

you calm the storms
and you give me rest
you hold me in your hands
you won't let me fall

Liz moaned softly as Max’s mouth and tongue teased her nipples before trailing down to her stomach. She smiled and sighed as his teeth nipped at the skin of her stomach before he used his tongue to lick away the small stings.

you still my heart
and you take my breath away
would you take me in
take me deeper now

His hands slid down her sides to grip her hips as he went down to his knees between her thighs. Pulling her to the edge of the desk, Max leaned in and took one long lick of her already wet folds.

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

Her hips bucked as much as his hands allowed her to and he heard the soft gasp she emitted in reaction to his tongue. He kissed the inside of her thigh before returning to feast on her folds.

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

As his tongue slid over her folds, then dipped inside to do wicked things to her walls, Liz whined in protest. Bucking her hips wildly against his mouth, she tried to tell him that she needed more.

cause you're all I want

Max kept her hips pinned to the desk as he slid his tongue out of her and flicked her hardening bundle of nerves. She cried out in pleasure and began to purr as he sucked it gently into his mouth.

you're all I need

“Oh Max!” she moaned, urging him on as she slid her fingers into his thick hair.

you're everything

Each time he suckled her bud, he did so with a little more pressure knowing what it was doing to her. He could feel her fingers digging into his scalp as she tried in vain to bring him even closer to her.

everything

“Max please!” she begged in a tone between a whisper and whimper.

you're all I want

Unable to resist his syndeo, Max removed his mouth from his feast and rose to his feet. As he stood between her thighs, Liz immediately wrapped her legs around his hips and drew him in close. He didn’t resist her in the slightest as he slid into her waiting depths, prompting both of them to emit satisfied groans.

you're all I need

Liz rose to her elbows and looked up at him through her lashes as he began the slow gliding in and out of her. When her lips parted, allowing small pants to escape, Max gripped her hips harder and felt himself hardening even more.

you're everything

Even now, after over a century and a few decades more, his syndeo was still the sexiest woman he’d ever laid eyes on. Watching the myriad of emotions moving over her face as he pleasured her was something he knew he’d never grow tired of. And every little thing she did only made him love her more.

everything

Liz pushed off of her elbows to grip his biceps, pulling both of them closer together. She gave him a beautiful smile as she gasped, “Yes, that’s it, love me Max!”

you're all I want

He slid his hands around to her behind, bringing her hips flush with his. She tilted her head to the side and Max couldn’t resist lowering his head to breathe in her scent. As his lips brushed over her pulse, she let out another moan and he felt her arms tighten around his shoulders.

you're all I need

She lifted one hand into his hair and gently nudged him closer to her neck. Knowing exactly what she wanted, Max swirled his tongue over her pulse for a few moments before biting down hard.

you're everything

With a cry of ecstasy, Liz threw her head back and held on to Max all while her body exploded around him. As Max drank greedily, his hips matched the sucking motion of his mouth.

everything

When he could feel Liz coming down from her high, he pulled his teeth out slowly, making her whimper in protest even as he swirled his tongue over the twin puncture wounds on her neck. Leaning back slightly, he continued to surge into her body without ever breaking the rhythm.

you're all I want

Liz leaned forward and swirled her tongue over his chest as she wrapped her arms around his torso. The moment her fangs sank into his skin, she tightened the embrace of both her arms and legs, making sure he never left her body.

you're all I need

With a roar of satisfaction, Max tilted his head back to stare up at the ceiling. He could feel his body emptying into hers even as his blood flowed into her mouth. Slowly his eyes closed as their minds merged and the two of them shared their love with each other.

you're everything

Liz continued to feed from him until she felt him growing limp in her arms. Pulling her teeth from him, she swirled her tongue over his wounds before tugging him down over her on top of the desk.

everything

The two of them remained there as their bodies cooled down and began to relax. A few moments later, she nipped at his shoulder and willed them to their bed. Rolling them over so that she was leaning down over him, she grinned.

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

“He also mentioned that he doesn’t want to see either of us until tomorrow night.” She looked at the clock on the wall before turning to him with a sparkle in her eyes. “So, we still have a few hours until dawn and the rest of the entire day to ourselves. Think you’re up for it?”

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

Max laughed as he raised a hand to slide his fingers through her hair. “I’m up for anything you want agapo mou.”

would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

Liz leaned down to brush her lips over his with a smile. “Good answer,” was all she said before she settled herself over his hips to begin the rest of their uninterrupted night.

TBC...

Song is Everything by Lifehouse

new Greek words
polemistis - warrior
gennadius - noble, generous